


Hologram

by thefanboyfiles



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Genius!Stiles, Hurt/Comfort, M for later chapters, M/M, Original Character(s), Science Fiction, The Alpha Pack, jock!Derek, story spans several years
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-13
Updated: 2015-04-12
Packaged: 2017-11-25 08:00:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 44,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/636788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thefanboyfiles/pseuds/thefanboyfiles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles Stilinski is a genius. But he's also an expert at making people's wishes come true. He helps his best friend Scott woo foreign exchange student Isaac, he helps his dad find a new love, and he even helps stop an Alpha Pack that threatens Beacon Hills. But when it comes to Derek Hale, Stiles comes to find that the only wish he can't seem to make come true is the one he has for himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

### September 2002

The Beacon Hills library is the oldest building in town and Stiles has always loved it because it exudes a kind of haunted house feel. Secret passageways, creaking floors, spiderwebs and all that. Stiles treats it as a second home. There's not many twelve year old kids that spend most of their free time reading, so the librarians have always seen him as a kind of curiosity. They know him by name and let him get away with eating snacks inside and napping on the couches. A big part of it's allure for Stiles is that it's located next to the Sheriff's station and he likes being at a close proximity to his dad. He's been overprotective of his dad since his mom died. So he spends hours plopped down in a burgundy armchair on the second floor of the dusty old library, reading about places he'll never visit and people who never existed.

Stiles has one friend. His name is Scott McCall. They share the same tastes in TV shows and some of the same allergies. Together they founded the Beacon Hills Comic Book Club of which they are the only members. Scott lost his father in a car accident when he was just a toddler and although they rarely talk about it, they know that there's a bond between them.

-

It's the end of September but most of the residents of Beacon Hills are already starting to decorate their homes for Halloween. The holiday is a big deal in the city. People come from all over the state to visit and almost the entire city becomes an attraction on the last week of October. The old Wiloughby mansion becomes Dracula's castle. JimBob's Burger Hut becomes Elvira's Burger Lair. Even some of the local schools host haunted houses. It's a great boost for the economy, so everyone tolerates the inevitable petty vandalism and loud drunk college students that comes along with it.

Stiles likes naming the jack-o-lanterns that he sees on his walk home from the library. There's Frankensquash, which looks like two different pumpkins that are stuck together. There's also a pumpkin with a long stem that reminds him of a wizard. He calls that one Merlin. And of course there's Mr. Finnstock, the surly looking squash Stiles names after his math teacher.

He's about to cross the street toward his apartment building when he hears crying and stops in his tracks. It sounds like an animal, a dog of some sort, and it's coming from inside the abandoned gas station. His dad has warned him about straying inside, but he's worried the dog is injured and he can't ignore it. He squeezes through a hole in the wire fence and follows the sound until he turns the corner and finds the source. Instead of a dog, he sees a boy, not much older than him, with tanned skin and green eyes. He's sitting down and leaning against a wall with both arms wrapped around a wound in his stomach and Stiles gets queasy at the sight of blood.

“Are – are you okay?” Stiles asks.

“Go away.” The boy's voice is deep for a kid.

Stiles ignores him and instead throws his backpack on the floor and kneels down next to him. “If you're hurt, I can call an ambulance for you. I live near here.”

“I'll be fine. Just go away.”

“But you're bleeding. Let me just take a look, my best friend's mom is a nurse and she taught me some -”

Stiles notices the claws. The boy has sharp claws that curve inward and his hands are covered in fur. He catches Stiles staring and hides them under his armpits.

“...She taught me some first aid stuff. If you don't want to go to a hospital, maybe I can help you a little.”

The boy stares at Stiles for so long that Stiles starts to blush. He decides to break the silence before he turns any redder. “Are you getting ready for Halloween or something? Your hands...”

The boy looks away and sighs. “No. It's just how my hands are.”

“Oh,” Stiles says, because he doesn't know what else to say.

The boy turns back around and stares at Stiles again for several uncomfortable seconds.

“Why aren't you running away?” He asks.

Stiles looks surprised. “Why should I? Do you have a medical condition? Last year I read a book at the library about a boy in Mexico who has a rare syndrome that causes his body to be covered in hair from head to toe. Is that kind of what you have?”

“Sort of.”

“You don't have to be embarrassed. I'll let you in on a secret...”

Stiles looks around and leans in closer to the boy before whispering, “I have a superfluous nipple.”

The older boy actually smiles and Stiles notices his long canine incisors. “You have what?”

“A superfluous nipple.” Stiles lifts his shirt to show him. “I have three nipples.”

The boy laughs and Stiles wonders how he can do that with a bloody gash on his stomach.

“My name is Stiles Stilinski.”

The boy puts his head down and contemplates for a few seconds before holding his hand out. “Mine's Derek.”

Stiles takes Derek's hand and shakes it. The fur is soft and warm.

“How old are you Derek?”

“I'm fourteen, you?”

“I'm twelve. Are you sure you don't wanna go to a doctor?”

“It's okay. I feel better already.” He unfolds his arms and Stiles can see that the wound has closed.

“Wha...?”

Instead of answering him, Derek holds out his hand and retracts his claws. Stiles watches his hands transform into human form.

Stiles isn't quite sure how to react so he says the first thing that comes to his mind. “Dude, you're Wolverine.”

Derek looks surprised. “Who?”

“Wolverine, you know, from the X-Men. He has retractable claws and super healing powers. Here -”

Stiles reaches for his backpack and pulls out a comic book, Uncanny X-Men #258. It's far from mint, with ripped edges, a juice stain and a taped spine. He hands it to Derek. “He's a total bad ass.”

“I've never heard of him.” Derek stares at the cover image, which has Wolverine nearly naked doing an uppercut.

He tries to hand it back to Stiles but Stiles shakes his head and pushes the comic book back towards Derek. “No, you keep it. Maybe you'll like it. I've read it like a thousand times anyway.”

Derek stares at the comic transfixed. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

Derek stares at Stiles again and this time Stiles blurts out, “Okay, what is it? Do I have ketchup on my face or something?” 

Derek smiles and shakes his head. “You have a fox's eyes. They're beautiful.”

Stiles turns even redder than before. He's never received a compliment from another boy, besides the time Scott told him he was the “most rad kid in the entire universe”.

“I better get home Stiles. My uncle Peter is probably starting to get worried.”

“Are you going to tell him what happened?”

“He knows. It's kind of a long story.”

“How did it happen? Did someone hurt you Derek?”

Derek nods. “Yeah. Hunters.”

Before Stiles can ask what hunters are, Derek stands up and holds his hand out to help Stiles up. They stare at each other awkwardly before Derek gives Stiles a sad smile and turns to walk away. A folded piece of paper falls out of his back pocket. Stiles bends down to pick it up.

“Wait! Derek! You dropped this.”

Derek turns around and Stiles hands him the note. “Thanks.”

“Will you meet me here again tomorrow?” Stiles asks before he can think any better.

Derek's eyes light up. “Umm, sure. Yeah.”

-

Stiles lies in bed that night with Derek on his mind. He can't help thinking about how Derek expected him to run away. He wonders how many people know about his powers, how many people have rejected him, or how lonely is. He's never seen Derek at school, which must mean he either goes to a private school, which Stiles doubts, or is homeschooled. He wonders what his uncle Peter is like and whether he has special powers too. He keeps picturing him as Wolverine. Stiles decides he wants to find out as much as he can about Derek and part of him feels excited, like he's wrapped up in a strange mystery story. Only this time it isn't just in a book. This time it's actually happening to him.

“Don't worry Derek,” he whispers to himself as his eyelids become heavy and he falls into sleep, “your secret identity is safe with me.”


	2. Chapter 2

### October 2002

When Scott is absent from school, lunchtime is awkward for Stiles. So in lieu of sitting alone in the cafeteria, he usually takes his lunch to Mr. Deatons's room.

Mr. Deaton is an English teacher at Beacon Hills Middle School. Stiles likes him a lot because he knows about all kinds of weird things. He teaches English in South America during the summer, and he always has stories to tell about the local legends. Stiles' favorite story is that of _Nahuelito_ , a famous sea serpent from Argentina.

Stiles timidly taps on the door and walks inside. The classroom is decorated with drawings, scribbled stories and paper mache sculptures, including Stiles' masterpiece entitled “Me and Scott Riding _Nahuelito_ Through the Atlantic Ocean”, which as the title suggests, is a model of the boys on top of a large plesiosaur-type creature. It hangs from the ceiling in the center of the room like a chandelier. 

Mr. Deaton is at his desk eating a sandwich and reading a book. He looks up and smiles. “Hey Stiles. No Scott today?”

Stiles shakes his head, “He's home sick with a cold.”

“Ah. Well you know you're always welcome here. Take a seat.”

Stiles put his lunch tray on a desk and sits down.

“So what's for lunch today?” Mr. Deaton asks, putting his book down.

Stiles grabs the meatloaf on his tray with two fingers and holds it up. “Mystery meat. I'm guessing opossum. Possibly squirrel.”

Mr. Deaton laughs. “You know, I think I'll stick with my boring ham sandwich.”

“Smart choice my good man,” Stiles retorts. He opens the small carton of chocolate milk and absentmindedly sips on it while looking around the room and smiling to himself. He taps his fingers on the desk and hums a song he heard on the radio.

“So who's the girl?” Mr. Deaton asks.

“Huh?” Stiles looks around. The room is empty.

“The girl you're in love with. It's not everyday I see you smiling from ear to ear and humming love songs.”

Stiles briefly wonders if it's possible to turn so red and hot that your ears blow out steam like in cartoons.

“Oh. Uh...no-nobody. I mean, there's no girl.”

At the precise moment when Stiles is sure his head will go flying off like a hot air balloon, a box full of books falls off a bookcase and hits the floor with a loud thump. The books scatter everywhere and Mr. Deaton rushes to pick them up. Stiles gets up to help him.

“Thanks Stiles. This place is getting so jam-packed with stuff I'm starting to feel like a hoarder. I need more bookcases.”

Stiles and Mr. Deaton carefully arrange the books and place them back in the box. When they finish, Stiles paces around the room and contemplates the walls. “You know, if you installed bookshelves around the perimeter of the room, you could store a lot more. These walls are huge and there's so much wasted space. The shelves would have to be slightly asymmetrical though. There's slight curves in parts of the wall. Like over there -” Stiles points at a corner of the room and Mr. Deaton stares at it, perplexed. “You'd need to circumvent those flaws. Actually I think shelves in a kind of tessellated waffle pattern with a few hexagonal empty gaps between every twelfth polygon to compensate for the curvatures would actually be perfect. But I guess if it had gaps it wouldn't really be a tessellation, right?”

Stiles laughs at his own observation and Mr. Deaton stares at him with eyes wide open. “Uh, yeah. Thanks Stiles. That's uh – that's a good idea. I'll talk to the principal about it. Although they might have a little trouble finding someone who could build it.”

“I could probably build it, but it wouldn't be anything fancy.” Stiles says, shrugging.

Before Mr. Deaton can reply, the lunch bell rings and Stiles rushes out of the room. “See you later! Thanks for hanging out with me Mr. Deaton!”

Stiles gets his tray back to the cafeteria and heads toward his next class but doesn't get very far before he runs into the bane of his existence: Jackson Whittemore and the Rich Kid Mafia.

Jackson is the most popular kid in school and every 6th grader's dream date. He's the only kid in his grade to wear hair pomade and cologne. His clothes are rumored to be tailored made for him with fabrics imported from Italy. His best friends are August, Ennis and twins Ethan and Aiden. They transferred to the public school after being expelled from the Beacon Hills Academy for Boys because of a prank they pulled on a fellow student that left the poor kid with a broken arm and a concussion.

“Well if it isn't Stiles Smelinski.” Jackson says as he walks toward Stiles. “Why are you in such a hurry? Come hang with us for a while.”

“No thanks. I have to get to class.”

Stiles tries to walk past him but Jackson blocks his way. “I'm sure you can miss one class. Aren't you some kind of Einstein or something?”

Stiles looks around but there isn't a teacher in sight. His heart starts to race but he tries to keep his cool. He tries to calm himself by focusing on minute details, like the flannel pattern on Jackson's shirt interrupted by a ketchup stain.

August, a tall blonde boy wearing an expensive-looking pea coat nudges Jackson. “Hey, it looks like he wants to cry.”

Jackson tilts his head in a manner that reminds Stiles of a lizard and smiles. “Aww, poor baby.”

All the boys laugh and inch closer to Stiles.

“What's the point of all this?” Stiles asks. His gaze is fixed on Jackson and he loses sight of his surroundings. Details become blurred and his breathing speeds up.

“The point of all this is to see you squirm like the worm that you are, you _fucking freak_.”

It's at this precise moment that Jackson is hit in the head with a shoe. Not just any shoe, but a red high heel belonging to Lydia Martin.

Lydia Martin is the smartest kid in the 7th grade, captain of the softball team, and comes to school every day dressed like she just walked off a runway during New York Fashion Week. She single-handedly struck down the school's proposition to make uniforms mandatory with a rousing speech during the winter assembly. She also runs a successful babysitting business. Stiles has never spoken to her outside of math class.

“Ow! Bitch!” Jackson yells out while rubbing a sore spot on his forehead where the shoe left an imprint.

Lydia stands besides Stiles. “Leave him alone jerks.”

Jackson looks back and forth at the both of them and laughs. “Got a little crush going on there, Lydia? He doesn't exactly seem like your type.”

“He's better than you yuppie scum!”

Jackson and his friends look at each other before laughing.. “Yuppie scum? Ouch! That really hurts my feelings.” He places his hand over his heart and frowns.

“Don't make me use my other shoe, Jackson.”

Jackson edges closer to Lydia and reaches out to grab a strand of her hair. He gently plays with it as his other hand comes to rest on her waist. “You know, I kind of like you Lydia.”

Lydia smiles sweetly and bats her eyelashes. “Yeah? Do you like playing with my hair?”

Jackson nods and smells her hair. “Yeah. I do.”

“I bet it's a lot softer than your mom's back hair!” she says, before kneeing him the groin.

Jackson falls to the floor and Lydia grabs Stiles by the hand. “Run!”

Lydia kicks off her other shoe and they run together with Stiles struggling to keep up. He turns around to see Jackson's cronies chasing after them, while Jackson squirms on the floor. He wonders if Lydia's kick did permanent damage.

They reach Mr. Finnstock's class just before the tardy bell rings.

-

As soon as school is out, Stiles bolts out of the gate toward the abandoned gas station. He doesn't even stop to name pumpkins or tie his shoes.

When he arrives, panting and gasping for air, Derek is already there, in the same spot he was when they first met. Only this time he's standing with his hands in his pockets. He timidly waves at Stiles. “Hey man.”

“Hey-,” Stiles reaches for his inhaler and puffs, “hey Derek.”

Derek stares awkwardly at Stiles while he catches his breath. 

“Are you okay?” Derek asks.

“Yeah, I'm fine. I just did- I did a little too much running today.” Stiles replies while still struggling to regain a normal breathing pattern. He sits down on the floor, leaning his back against the cement wall. Derek joins him, sitting so close that Stiles can smell him. Stiles makes a mental note to wear deodorant from now on because he's sure Derek can smell him too.

“So did you like the comic book?”

“Yeah. It was great. I read it five times.” Derek replies, inching closer to Stiles so that their legs are touching. 

“Umm, I brought you some more. I figured you might be a little confused as to the backstory of some of the characters...”

Stiles unzips his backpack and pulls them out. He hands them to Derek one by one, taking time to briefly go over important points about each of them.

Derek places the comic books carefully by his side. “Thanks. I can't wait to read them,” He looks at Stiles and shrugs shyly, “I wish I had something to give you.”

“Nah. I don't need anything. You just have to promise me you'll tell me what you think of them. And you can join our club! My friend Scott and I have a comic book club that meets every Friday evening. Well, it's just us two. You'd be the third member. But I promise it's really cool and his mom bakes us cookies and stuff.”

“Sure,” Derek says, extending his pinky finger and locking it together with Stiles'.

A cool breeze blows through them and Stiles shivers. He notices Derek doesn't seem to be affected by it, despite the fact that he's only wearing a thin grey t-shirt and jeans with holes at the knees. He also notices that Derek has thick hair on his forearms but doesn't know whether it has to do with his special powers or just puberty.

It starts to rain. Derek quickly grabs the comic books on the floor and hides them under his shirt so they wont get wet. The water pours down on them and they laugh together as Stiles reaches into his backpack to retrieve an umbrella. He opens it and they're shielded from the worst of the downpour.

“Maybe we should have met somewhere inside.” Stiles says. Raindrops tickle him as they stream down his chin.

Derek shrugs. “I don't mind the rain.”

“Yeah, I can tell. But I don't want you to freeze to death.” He looks toward his apartment building and bites his lower lip. “I live right across the street from here. I'm not suppose to have anyone over without my dad's permission but he's not home right now.”

“I don't want you to get in trouble. You can go if you want and come back out after the rain stops.”

Stiles shakes his head. “No way man. The X-Men never leave anyone behind. So come on!”

They make their way across the street. The storm is unrelenting and the wind turns Stiles' umbrella inside out, thrusting him aside and threatening to blow him away. Derek grabs hold of his wrist and steadies him. 

They run up the stairs and eventually reach Stiles' apartment. It's a small 2-bedroom dwelling. It's mostly neat, with the exception of the books. There are book cases full of books, coffee tables stacked with books and furniture which have long ago lost their original purpose and become holding places for books. The walls are cluttered with family photographs. Stiles blushes when remembers the large scale photograph of him in diapers wearing a large cowboy hat near the entrance.

“Er – my room is this way...” Stiles leads the way and Derek follows him.

Stiles opens the door and instead of walking into his bedroom, he trips over a rock and stumbles into wilderness. Derek, following closely behind, also trips over the rock and falls on the ground. The door closes and disappears.

Derek and Stiles are standing in a clearing surrounded by a vast expanse of trees. Stiles recognizes a mountain range in the distance, barely visible through the trees, and knows they're in the woods just outside Beacon Hills. And across the clearing, a house is burning.


	3. Chapter 3

Stiles feels like he's watching a movie. The two-story house is engulfed with flames and black smoke is billowing into the sky and blocking out the sun. Ash rains down on them and Stiles' eyes burn. He knows he should be afraid, but he isn't. 

“What's going on?” Stiles asks. His voice is distant and strange to his own ears.

A large black wolf and a small brown pup race away from the flames and towards the woods. The black wolf has substantial patches of fur missing across its back, exposing red, burnt skin. The brown pup seems unharmed. The boys watch them silently as they disappear into the trees.

“This is my house. Well, it used to be...a long time ago.” Derek replies.

A large chunk of the house collapses and the boys step back as dust and a large amount of smoke is blown their way. Stiles inhales the fumes and begins to cough violently. The last thing he feels is Derek's arms around him before he blacks out.

-

When he wakes up, he's laying on his bed. It's dark out, which must mean he was passed out for at least a few hours. The storm is still raging. Stiles' apartment is on the second floor, and he can see the tops of several skinny trees swaying in the wind.

Derek is sitting beside him reading a comic book. The older boy has his shoes off and Stiles can't help smile when he notices Derek's big toe sticking out of a hole in his right sock.

“That always happens to me.” Stiles says.

Derek looks over at Stiles, confused. “What?”

“The tip of the sock always wears out first.”

Derek gives Stiles a timid smile as he looks down at his foot. “Oh.”

He closes the comic book as Stiles sits up and they sit together in silence for a while.

“It wasn't a dream. ” Stiles finally says.

Derek shakes his head.

Stiles shudders. “I have this weird deja vu feeling that I can't shake off.”

Derek sighs and lies back on the bed. He looks up at the ceiling and covers his eyes with his hands. “When I was six, a fire destroyed my home and killed my parents and my sister.” His voice breaks on the last word and he starts crying. It's the same sound Stiles first heard at the gas station. It reminds him of the noise Scott's dog Karloff makes when he's hungry.

Stiles places a hand on Derek's chest and taps it lightly in an awkward attempt to console him. Derek keeps his eyes covered as tears stream down his cheeks.

“Stiles, I think it's better if we're not friends anymore.” Derek manages to get out.

“Why Derek?”

“Whatever happened earlier, what we saw, whatever that was...I know it was my fault. I'm cursed. I don't want you or anyone else getting hurt.”

Stiles gently grabs Derek's hands and removes them from his face. Derek's eyes are glowing dully, casting long shadows along the boy's face. They remind Stiles of candlelight.

Stiles gets up and walks over to a small drawer and pulls out two blankets. He gives one to Derek and wraps the other one around himself, sitting back down on the bed with his legs crossed.

“My mom died when I was a little boy too. ”

“Yeah?”

“I was seven years old when they told me she had cancer. I watched her get sicker and sicker until she couldn't take care of herself anymore. It was like she was disappearing right in front of me.”

Stiles looks toward the window where the rain is hitting the glass in a mad rush. “I felt like I was disappearing, too. I'm not trying to say it's anything like what you went through. I just - I want you to know that I'm a lot stronger than I look and that I'm here for you and that I'm not scared of whatever it is that's affecting you.”

Derek doesn't say a word, only stares at Stiles as he continues.

“After my mom died, my dad went a little nutty for a while. He'd go days without uttering a single word to me and sometimes he'd forget to make dinner and I'd have to whip something up for myself, like marshmallow and ketchup sandwiches.” Stiles laughs but Derek stays silent. “For a while I thought he blamed me for mom's death. But now I know he was just...sad and afraid of being alone. Sometimes I think of sadness and fear as a viruses that infect you. It's natural to feel those emotions, just like it's natural to catch a cold, but if you let them get too strong they'll spread through your whole body and make you do things that you'll regret. And no one can cure you, not really, because it's something you have to fight off on your own. But sometimes people can help you see things and feel things that remind you what it feels like to be happy. It's like they tether you the world. I guess what I'm trying to say is -”

Stiles has never been kissed before, but he has often dreamed about what it would be like. Now that Derek is pressing their lips together, he realizes it's nothing like he'd imagined. It's shy and slow and not at all like the passionate, sloppy kisses in movies or TV. He parts his lips like a fish because that's what he imagines he should do next, but Derek doesn't get the hint and instead exhales into Stiles' mouth. Stiles breathes it in and the air travels down his throat and disperses through his whole body, giving him goosebumps.

Derek cups Stiles' cheek and goes in for more. This time he's braver, gently taking Stiles' lower lip into his mouth and running his tongue across it. Stiles suddenly feels his own tongue slide into Derek's mouth as if it has mind of its own. 

They pull apart after several seconds. Stiles keeps his eyes closed.

“What I'm trying to say is,” he continues, still floating on a cloud, “I want to do with you what Spring does with cherry trees.”

Derek laughs. “What?'

Stiles snaps out of his coma. “Pablo Neruda said that. Err, the part about the cherry trees. He was a poet. I must sound super weird, sorry. My thoughts always get so jumbled up when I get overexcited. I didn't expect you to do that. And also your eyes are glowing.”

Derek awkwardly stares at his hands folded on his lap. “Sorry, I got carried away.”

“No, it's fine.”

“It is?”

Stiles nods and the both of them blush simultaneously. Derek leans in for a second kiss but stops halfway. “Someone's coming.”

“It's my dad. Hide!”

Derek rolls off the bed just as the sheriff opens the door. He looks like he just walked through a waterfall.

“Hey son, I brought pizza.”

“Awesome dad, thanks!” Stiles tries to sound as calm as possible, even though he's a few beats away from a heart attack. 

“Is everything alright?”

“I made friends with a werewolf and I traveled into his brain to experience his memories.” He blurts out.

The sheriff rolls his eyes and smiles. “Eat the pizza before it gets cold.” He shuts the door.

Stiles peers over his bed to see Derek on the floor covered with the blanket.

“You can come out now.” Stiles says as he pulls the blanket off of Derek and helps him up.

Derek grabs his shoes and puts them on. He looks up at Stiles as he ties his shoelaces. “I gotta get back to my house. My uncle Peter is going to be home soon too.”

Stiles nods. “See you tomorrow?”

“Oh, I can't. We're going out of town, but we'll be back on Sunday. See you then? Three o'clock at the gas station?”

“Actually, you can come here if you'd like. I'll let my dad know I'm having a friend over. And here-” Stiles grabs the stack of comic books he gave Derek from the shelf and wraps them in newspaper. “Don't forget these.”

“Thanks man.”

Derek heads toward the window. He opens it and a torrent of wind sends papers flying everywhere and knocks a small poster off of the wall.

“Will you be okay out there?”

Derek doesn't answer. Instead he gives Stiles a sly smile and heads out the window. He jumps off the ledge and lands on his feet. Stiles' jaw drops and he accidentally swallows several rain drops. He grimaces and wipes his mouth with his hands. When he looks again, Derek is gone.


	4. Chapter 4

“Dad, this is Derek.”

Derek and the Sheriff shake hands. “Hi Derek, it's nice to finally meet you. Stiles has been talking a lot about you since this morning.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Stilinski.” Derek replies.

“Call me John, bud.” The Sheriff smiles and Stiles is pleased by how well it's all going. He didn't know how his dad would react to Stiles making friends with a mysterious older boy, but he seems pleased.

“If you'll excuse me sir- uh, John. I really have to pee.”

“Go for it, Derek.”

Derek heads toward the bathroom. Stiles and John stare at each other in an awkward silence until they hear the bathroom door close.

“He seems like a nice kid. Now I know why you like him so much.” John says, winking.

“Oh my GOD.” Stiles whisper-screams, mortified at how easily his father reads him.

“I'm just sayin'. You do need a date for the Fall Dance. And maybe you guys can have nice little coordinated costumes for Halloween.”

“Dad no! Oh my god.”

“Batman and Robin, maybe? Too obvious?”

“You're not my father.” Stiles shakes his head in disbelief. “You're a humanoid alien sent here to torture me as part of an experiment to test the limits of human embarrassment.”

John chuckles and is about to say something when the bathroom door opens. He turns around trying to contain his laughter. Derek walks back into the room and Stiles immediately ushers him toward his room. “Come on Derek, we can play some PS2.”

Now that Derek is in Stiles' room during the day time, he walks around the room staring curiously at the papers Stiles has pinned on the wall. There's plenty of movie posters and video game ads but Stiles notices Derek paying close attention to the diagrams and equations he's scribbled and stuck on the wall like giant Post-it notes. He feels a little embarrassed as he sets up the PS2 and Derek studies his walls. He hopes he doesn't see him as weird or a nerd.

“What do all these shapes mean?” Derek asks, standing in front of a particularly chaotic diagram.

Stiles stares at the drawing while unwrapping a cord around a PS2 controller. “It's kind of hard to explain.”

“I'm not dumb, Stiles. I have a tutor.” Derek says defensively.

“No, I didn't mean it that way. Sorry man. I just meant it's sort of...abstract.”

Stiles puts down the controller and joins Derek next to the diagram. “Well, this is going to sound weird...but I can see numbers as distinct shapes. It's sort of like synesthesia I guess. Basically whenever I think or hear of a number, I see a certain shape that corresponds to that number in my head. See here-” Stiles points at a shape reminiscent of an amoeba, “that's the number eight.”

He looks at Derek for any cue that he's freaking him out before continuing. “I like to map them out and use the shapes like I would numbers. I don't know. Like I said, it's hard to explain.”

“I think it's cool. Looks like abstract art.” Derek says.

Stiles beams. “Yeah, well I-”

He doesn't get a chance to finish before his bedroom door is violently swung open. It's Scott, who by the looks of it has bounced back from the flu.

“STILES! ERICA BET BOYD FIVE BUCKS THAT HE WOULDN'T KISS KALI AND RIGHT NOW THEY ARE OUTSIDE AND EVERYONE IS WATCHING THEM KISS!” Scott lets out all in one breath.

He pauses when he sees Derek and they both stare at each other for a comically long time. “STILES, DEREK HALE IS IN YOUR ROOM!”

Before Stiles can ask Scott how he knows Derek, Scott steps forward and takes Stiles' hand, pulling him out of the room and slamming the door shut.

He opens it again momentarily. “Uh, excuse us for a sec dude.” He says to Derek before shutting the door again, more gingerly this time.

“Scott, what are you doing? How do you know Derek?” Stiles asks impatiently.

“Don't you remember?”

Stiles shakes his head, perplexed.

“Wait a second...you weren't there! It was before you transferred schools I think.”

“Tell me what's wrong, Scott.”

“Okay, well, I wasn't actually there but everyone in school was talking about it for weeks after so we all knew what went down. It happened in Ms. Windmark's fourth grade class. Derek was a new kid, I think his family moved from a big city somewhere. I remember being scared of him because he was sort of odd. He would always be off by himself somewhere. And he would make these weird animal noises, even while he was in class. Sounded like a dog or something.” Scott places his head next to the door in an attempt to hear something.

“So anyway, one day this kid Sam Gutierrez brought chocolate cupcakes to class. I think it was his birthday or something. He was handing out cupcakes out to everyone one-by-one but when he got to Derek, he said something like, 'Sorry Der, I don't think dogs are allowed to eat chocolate.'” 

Scott pauses for a second and stares intently at Stiles. “That's when shit hit the fan.”

Stiles leans in closer to Scott, absorbed in the story but also with an inkling of how it will end.

“Like I said man, I wasn't there, but from what Artie Clarke told me after school that day, Derek went berserk. He jumped on Sam! He leapt on the kid like a cheetah.” Scott imitates a cheetah pouncing before continuing. “And then Derek starts tearing the kids clothes off and growling at him! Ms. Windmark tried to pull him off but his grip was too strong. Eventually Derek lets go on his own and runs out. He doesn't get very far before security catches him.”

“Was Sam hurt?”

“The weird thing is, he wasn't seriously injured. His clothes were completely shredded and stuff but other than that, nothing. It's like Derek was trying to scare him without hurting him. Sam was fine but Derek was expelled I guess. I didn't see him again after that. I'd recognize him anywhere though and that's him in your room.”

Stiles feels a pang of sadness thinking about Derek and how hard it must have been for him to be the new kid in school, especially when he had such an unusual secret to keep.

Scott must see something in Stiles' face because he goes in for a hug. It's not unusual for them to hug and Stiles is always comforted by having Scott's arms around him. They linger there until Stiles pulls away. “I was just thinking about how he's probably never even had a friend before.”

Scott nods.

“But now he has one...me. And soon he's going to have two.” Stiles says before opening the door and walking back into the room. Scott shyly follows him in. Derek is sitting on the edge of Stiles' bed reading a comic book. He has his shoes off and, of course, one of his socks has a hole at the tip, exposing a toe.

“Umm, hey dude. Sorry about that. It's not everyday we get a new visitor in here.” Scott says as he extends his hand. “I'm Scott.”

Derek shakes Scott's hand. “Hi.”

Whatever shy daze Scott was in doesn't last long because he starts up again with his story. “So as I was saying, Kali and Boyd are totally kissing right now. Like full-on tongue kissing! Isn't that weird?”

Stiles and Derek immediately look at each other.

“Weird.” They both say in unison.


	5. Chapter 5

The three boys are lying down on a pile of orange and brown leaves in the park. They're under a large tree with a slight drizzle falling on them. Stiles' hand is lightly grazing Derek's as Scott reads from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. 

Stiles feels comfortable. He can't recall a time he's felt more relaxed. He looks over at Derek who is wearing an olive green sweater and staring at the sky. He wonders what it would be like to cuddle up next to him and why the urge is so strong.

The sun is beginning to go down so Scott reaches into his pocket for a small flashlight and lights the pages of the book to continue reading.

“Do you want me to hold the flashlight for you?” Derek asks.

“Nah! It's cool dude.” Scott says and continues the story.

Stiles loves watching Derek and Scott interact because their personalities are so different from each other. Derek is quiet, deliberate and cautious. Scott, on the other hand, has been known to skate down the street singing the Batman theme from the 1960s TV show while slurping down a Go-Gurt.

Yet they get along perfectly and Scott hasn't brought up Derek's past at all during the two weeks they've been hanging out together. Stiles wonders how Scott would react if he knew about Derek being a werewolf. He knows that it's up to Derek when he'll let Scott in on the secret, if ever. Derek does a good job of hiding his abilities, so it might not even be necessary. Still, Stiles can't help but think about what a pain it must be to hide who you really are.

-

Halloween finally arrives and Beacon Hills is almost unrecognizable. The theme this year is “London After Midnight”. The town rented out giant fog machines that run continuously, erected forty fake antique lamp posts with blue lights along several blocks, hired fifty actors to pose as ghosts in 1920s garb, and even set up a giant corn maze, among other things. The police force was quadrupled and extra security cameras were installed around town as a precaution.

The streets are flooded with people. Most of them are in costume. A surprising number of people stuck to the theme, but there's still a large variety of characters walking the streets. Scott and Stiles watch them as they walk by while sitting on Scott's front porch waiting for Derek to arrive with his uncle. Stiles is dressed like Spider-Man and Scott is a robot.

“When's Derek getting here? It's almost nine.” Scott says, practically jumping out of his skin. His robot head is resting on his lap. It's little more than a cardboard box which has been spray painted silver with stickers for robot teeth and holes for eyes. It also has a curly antenna at the top.

“He should be here soon.”

Stiles barely finishes saying it when Derek and an older man make their way down the block toward them. Derek is wearing a skeleton costume. He's holding the fabric skull mask in his hand and smiling while he approaches. Stiles can't help how his face heats up when he sees Derek and he's glad he's wearing a mask to hide his flushed cheeks.

“Hey guys. I'm Derek's uncle, Peter! So nice to finally meet you two.”

Stiles and Scott shake his hand. Stiles doesn't fail to notice the faded burn marks on Peter's arm.

“So let me guess...” Peter ponders for a moment before pointing at Scott. “You're Scott, skateboarder extraordinaire.” 

Then he points at Stiles. “And you must be the famous Stiles Stilinski.”

“Nice to meet you.” Stiles replies, removing his mask. He's sure his cheeks are still flushed but doesn't want to be rude.

“Are you...a movie star?” Scott asks, transfixed.

Peter laughs at Scott's observation. “I work at a bank. Nothing as exciting as a movie star.” He says, ruffling Scott's hair.

It's true, though. Peter looks like an action star from a Hollywood movie. He has a strongly defined jaw line and muscular physique. He doesn't have a costume on, just a simple gray t-shirt and dark jeans, but the way he combs his hair back and rolls up his sleeves reminds Stiles of a greaser from the 1950s. He's also a little intimidated by his bulging biceps and powerful, thick neck. Stiles guesses he's in his late twenties or early thrities.

(“Is it weird that meeting Peter Hale was what made me realize I was 100% gay?” Scott will ask, years later.)

They make their way to Dracula's castle, which has been Stiles' favorite attraction since he moved to Beacon Hills. It's outdated as far as haunted houses go but the architecture of the Willoughby mansion, where it takes place, is perfectly creepy. It's like a smaller version of the Winchester Mystery House; with doors that lead to nowhere, twisting corridors and a giant crystal chandelier. Actors in Victorian clothes re-enact a vampire murder scene and every once in a while a ghoul will jump out to scare visitors, or a skeleton will fall from the ceiling.

The boys have a blast navigating the castle. Peter has a good laugh every time one of them jumps or screams. Stiles feels pretty sneaky when he fakes being scared in order to cling to Derek. He thinks he notices Peter looking at them like he knows. Maybe Derek told him about the kiss. Either way he doesn't seem bothered by it.

From the top floor, there's a great view of Beacon Hills. On Halloween nights, the town looks like a vast set for a horror movie. The boys pretend to be zombies while Peter checks the Beacon Hills Halloween map to decide on their next destination.

After visiting two more haunted houses and playing some carnival games they decide to get something to eat. Peter makes sure the boys stick together as they navigate the crowds. There's so many new faces, noises and smells that Stiles begins to feel overwhelmed. He doesn't know where to direct his attention so he focuses on Derek and it helps him calm down.

They eventually turn on Elm Street, which is free of any attractions and relatively empty compared to some of the other streets. It also leads directly to their destination, the Lost Souls Cafe.

They walk a few blocks while Scott interrogates Peter about his personal life and Stiles tells Derek about the history of Halloween, which he had read about at the library earlier that week. 

They stop dead in their tracks when they hear a loud howling coming from behind them.

They turn around to see a very drunk Chris Argent stumbling toward them and howling like a maniac. Stiles recognizes him because his daughter Allison is in the same grade as him and Scott.

Chris stops in front of Peter. “Come on Hale, howl for me! Where's your Halloween spirit?”

Derek protectively steps in front of Stiles.

Peter grabs Chris by the collar and forces him back. “I told you to leave us alone.”

“Is this about the other day? It was an accident, I swear.” Chris laughs and looks down at Derek, who at this point has taken off his mask. “The boy got in the way of my arrow.”

Peter grabs Chris by the collar and growls. “We had an agreement.”

Stiles is frightened by his change in demeanor. Up until this point, Peter had been friendly and lighthearted. Now, his voice was deep and sinister, like he'd been replaced by a completely different person.

Scott grabs Stiles' hand. He's trembling and breathing heavily. Stiles knows that whenever Scott is truly scared, he goes quiet. It's probably the only time he wont talk your ear off.

“Oh come one, why so formal?” Chris looks down at the boys. “You know kids, Peter and I used to be friends.” He reaches up with his hand and caresses Peter's face. “More than friends, actually.”

Peter wraps his hand around Chris' neck until Chris turns red.

He somehow still manages to speak. “Are you gonna kill me in front of these kids Hale? Let them see the monster you are.”

Scott is crying now and clinging close to Stiles. Stiles is glad both him and Scott are in costume and their identity is hidden. Something about Chris Argent makes Stiles extremely uneasy. He's more than just a random drunk jerk.

Peter shoves Chris to the ground.

Chris smiles. “Give it up. If I don't get you, the Alphas will.”

Derek begins to walk toward Chris but Peter stops him. “No, Derek. Let's just go. People are watching.”

Stiles turns around and sees a small gathering of people at the other end of the street staring at them.

Peter looks down at the boys. “Sorry about that guys. Come on, let me take you home.” 

-

Peter walks Scott and Stiles back to Scott's house. Stiles is disappointed to end the night earlier than planned, but he's more concerned about Derek. He wants to ask him about the hunters and what their motives are, but Derek is walking silently and visibly shaken, so Stiles figures it's probably not the best time to do so.

“I wish you kids hadn't seen that.” Peter says as they reach the front porch of Scott's house. “Mr. Argent is a very sick man.”

Scott and Stiles nod.

“And I'm sorry for having to end the night early.”

“It's okay. I had a lot of fun, anyway. Thank you very much Mr. Hale.” Stiles says.

“Yeah, thanks Mr. Hale.” Scott echoes before adding, “And just so you know, I would have protected you but my robot suit is really hard to move in.”

Peter smiles and knocks on Scott's robot head. “I know. That's what I figured.”

“Okay, I didn't want to complain...but I really gotta piss and it takes me like five minutes to take off this costume!” Scott says and unlocks the door to the house. “See you later Derek! See you later Mr. Hale!”

He walks inside and Stiles is left alone with Peter and Derek. 

Peter kneels down in front of Stiles and puts his hand on his shoulder. Stiles takes off his Spider-Man mask and looks into Peter's eyes. “Listen buddy, I know you know about us and our...abilities.”

“I'll never tell anyone.” Stiles says before Peter even finishes his thought.

“I know you wont, “ Peter says. 

Derek sits down on the front steps. Stiles can barely handle how devastated Derek looks and it takes everything he has to resist the urge to embrace him.

Peter sighs. “There's people out there who are out to get us. I can't explain everything to you now, Stiles, but listen to me: Stay far away from the Argent family. Even the young girl, Allison. Do you understand me? Stay away from them.”

Stiles nods. “Yes sir.”

“And I also wanted to say thanks. Sometimes it's hard for werewolves to have meaningful friendships with humans and I know how much it's meant to Derek that you and Scott have been spending time with him.”

“So there's others? Other werewolves?” Stiles can't help but ask.

“Yes.” Derek answers before Peter can. “But they're not like us...”

“Enough, Derek.” Peter says before standing up. “I hope you understand that we can't tell you everything. It's for our own safety and for yours. Goodnight Stiles.”

“Night.” Stiles replies. He turns to Derek. “See you later Derek.”

“Yeah. See you later.” Derek says, sadly.

Stiles watches Peter and Derek walk away. Derek turns around and Stiles waves goodbye. They disappear around the corner.

Stiles can't help the sinking feeling in his heart.

He doesn't see Derek again for four years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time jump!


	6. Chapter 6

### October 2006

Stiles is sitting alone at a table in the cafeteria eating French fries and drawing in his sketchbook. He had a dream the night before where he was an eel swimming in the ocean and he can't get the thought out of his mind, so he decides to draw it.

In the dream, he was long and undulating in the dark sea with nothing else around him but the water. He caught a glimpse of the moon and decided to crawl out on to the shore to get a better look. The moon was enormous and eel-Stiles stared at it, all the while unable to breathe. At the last moment, just before he was about to suffocate, he turned around to head back into the ocean. Only it wasn't there anymore.

He's so immersed in his thoughts and in drawing his eel-self that he doesn't notice Scott running frantically toward him until he leaps into a seat beside him.

“DEREK'S BACK AND I SAW HIM AND HE LOOKS SO DIFFERENT AND I DON'T THINK HE RECOGNIZED ME AND-”

Stiles drops his pen and his heart immediately starts to beat faster just by hearing his name. Scott is rambling and Stiles can't keep up with what he's saying.

“Wait, Scott. Slow down. Take a deep breath.”

Scott obliges and tries to control his breathing. 

“You said Derek was back. Derek. As in, Derek Hale?”

Scott nods. He's wheezing a bit but manages to tell his story.

“Okay, so last week coach told us there would be a new player added to the roster. He was excited because apparently this new guy is a football star or something and decided to transfer to Beacon Hills to play here. He said his name was Derek but I didn't think anything of it.” Scott takes one of Stiles' fries and eats it before continuing. “So today we got to meet him. The guy walks in and...it's him. It's Derek. He looks SO different dude. It's like, I mean I don't want to accuse the guy of taking steroids or anything because I doubt he would with all the testing and everything but he looks like a completely different person. I could tell it was him, though.”

Stiles is dumbfounded. After Derek and Peter left town without a trace, Stiles was inconsolable. He searched in vain for weeks, visiting all the places he'd been with Derek. He never told his dad or Scott, but for so many nights after Derek's disappearance, Stiles would cry himself to sleep. He knew that the logical explanation was that they left town to protect themselves and to protect him. Still, he couldn't help but to feel abandoned.

Stiles eventually accepted he would never see Derek or Peter again.

“He didn't recognize me, though. He shook everyone's hands and introduced himself. I was gonna say something but I was shocked, man.”

“Maybe he doesn't remember us.” It stings Stiles' heart to say it but it's the simplest explanation. After all, they hadn't known each other that long.

“But you were probably his first kiss. He has to remember you.”

Stiles nods and looks down at his sketchbook, trying to hide his conflicting emotions. He knows that a lot of guys experiment when they're young and it doesn't mean that they're gay. But he remembers the amber glow in Derek's eyes when he was telling him about his family, and Derek's shy smile when they first met. Their friendship must have meant something. Maybe they can rekindle what they had. Stiles knows he shouldn't get his hopes up but resisting it is impossible. His hopes are already up. They're sky high.

“Holy shit that's him!” Scott nearly yells out and points out the window.

Stiles looks up to see a group of jocks in varsity jackets walking across the courtyard toward the cafeteria. Stiles spots Derek immediately. He's the only one not wearing a jacket. Stiles feels like his heart is beating at 120 RPM. Scott is talking but Stiles is so focused on Derek that he can't make out a word he's saying. Stiles smiles euphorically.

But the smile quickly fades as the jocks enter the cafeteria and Stiles gets a good look at Derek. His hopes of rekindling a relationship are dashed when he realizes that Derek is now way out of his league. His physique has changed drastically. Even through his shirt Stiles can make out his muscular torso. His face has also changed, with heavy stubble and a more angular jaw. He's also wearing clothes that look quite expensive, including black Oxford shoes and a gold watch. The guy looks like a walking Calvin Klein ad. There's no sign of the boy Stiles met years ago. 

It's not just his looks that have changed, either. Derek and his friends sit down on a table with a few of the more popular girls, including Lydia and Allison. Stiles can tell that he's already charming them. In fact, Derek has the whole table's attention as he tells a story and they all respond with raucous laughter.

Stiles looks down at his clothes and feels embarrassed. He's never really cared much for fashion and it shows. He's wearing a ratty old Radiohead shirt and jeans with tears at the knees. His sneakers are worn and faded. His black rimmed glasses probably don’t help, either.

Stiles sees Jackson walk toward the table and sit down across Derek. They shake hands and Stiles' stomach turns.

Stiles decides to leave before he feels any worse. “Come on Scott, let's go.”

“Are you going to go say hi?”

“Umm, maybe later.”

They get up to take their leftovers to the trash. Stiles tries to walk past Derek's table as inconspicuously as possible but suddenly trips on his shoelaces and falls on the floor. The entire table erupts with laughter and Jackson yells out, “Nice one, Smelinski!”

“Fuck off Jackson!” Scott says and walks with his fists clenched toward where Jackson is sitting.

“Scott, no! It's okay.” Stiles yells to Scott because even though being on the football team has given Scott a good amount of muscle, he knows that Jackson and his friends wouldn't fight fair. It would be three or more against one. 

Scott stops himself before reaching Jackson. He turns back around to help Stiles pick up his food and they throw it in the trash.

Jackson says something else as the two boys are walking away and although Stiles can't hear what it is, he knows it's about him because the entire table laughs.

Stiles doesn't dare see if Derek is laughing.

“Thanks for trying to protect my honor.” Stiles says to Scott and pats him on the back when they're outside.

Scott is still visibly angry. “One day someone's going to teach Jackson a lesson. All those other jerks, too. Sucks that I have to be on a team with them when they treat you like that.”

“I'm okay. I don't really care about them.”

Scott nods. “Hey listen, I told Danny I'd meet him at the GSA room because he wants me to help him show this new student around. I think the guy just moved here from London. Wanna come?”

“No thanks. I think I'm just going to finish up this sketch I started.”

“Awesome.” Scott goes in for a hug. “See you after school.”

Scott walks away and Stiles heads toward the restroom. He's relieved to find that it's empty and steps into a stall. He sits down and almost immediately the tears start to fall. He's not crying because of Jackson, whose ridicule he's used to, but because he feels like an important part of his childhood has been tarnished. It's stupid to think Derek would be interested in someone like him. That kind of stuff only happens in the movies. And usually in bad movies, where a gorgeous actress wears glasses which are supposed to make her magically unattractive.

Stiles takes off his glasses to wipe them on his t-shirt when hears the door open. He tries to stifle his cries so he wont be noticed. The guy walks to a urinal close enough to Stiles' stall that he can see his black Oxford shoes.

It's Derek.

Stiles tries to be as quiet as possible because he's already been embarrassed once and he's pretty sure being caught crying on the toilet is even worse than falling in front of everyone.

Derek finishes up and washes his hands. Stiles hears his footsteps as he turns to walk toward the door but the footsteps stop suddenly as if Derek is hesitating.

Derek sighs heavily. “Come on, Derek. You can do this.”

Derek opens the door and walks out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My headcanon for how teen!Derek looks is Tyler Hoechlin, not Ian Nelson. And my headcanon for how teen!Stiles looks is Dylan in The Internship. Mmm those glasses!


	7. Chapter 7

After his little breakdown in the boy's restroom, Stiles manages to pull himself together. He has an exam in Spanish and a presentation about Cubism during his art class, both of which he's sure he aces. The last class of the day is English, which is his favorite because of the teacher, Ms. Blake. Stiles has struck up an unusual friendship with her and she's become like a big sister to him. He figures it's because they share the same taste in movies. Stiles doesn't know of any other teacher that has seen every Godzilla movie. She's also a lot younger than most of the other teachers which makes her more accessible.

“Hey Ms. Blake!” He says as he walks into the class.

“Hi Stiles. Nice shirt.” She smiles warmly at him while she writes on the marker board.

Stiles turns to walk toward his seat and nearly falls over again when he sees Derek sitting in the back. They make brief eye contact but Derek looks away. Stiles sits down in front of Erica, one of the few seniors who will actually talk to him, and tries to pretend he's not having a heart attack while the rest of the students walk in.

The bell rings and Ms. Blake addresses the class. “Alright, settle down everyone. We have a new student.” 

She signals toward Derek and everyone turns around to look at him. Derek stares down at his desk.

“Derek, why don't you tell us a little about yourself?”

Derek stands up slowly while the other students watch. Stiles has never heard the class be this quiet before. “Hi everyone. Uh, I'm Derek. I grew up in Beacon Hills and moved to New York when I was fourteen. I moved back to play football here.”

Ms. Blake thanks him and Derek sits back down. She begins with the lesson but Stiles can hardly pay attention to what she's saying. He resists the urge to look back at Derek as long as possible until he can't take it anymore. He pretends to look in his backpack for a pen before turning around and asking Erica for one. He looks over at Derek as he does so and notices him focusing on his assignment and biting his pencil. Stiles loses track of time until Erica taps him in the forehead with the pen.

“Hey numb nuts, do you want the pen or not?”

“Yeah, sure.” Stiles answers, distracted.

Erica squints at him. “What are you...?” She turns her head in the direction that Stiles is staring at and turns back around with her mouth wide open. “You horn dog! Oh god I bet you have a boner right now!”

Of course he has a boner. “I don't have a boner Erica! You don't understand.”

“Ms. Reyes and Mr. Stilinski, is there something you'd like to share with the class?” Ms. Blake is hovering above them with her hands on her waist.

“Oh, no. Sorry Ms. Blake. I was just asking Erica if I could borrow a boner.” Stiles flubs before correcting himself,”I mean a pen! I was asking her for a pen.”

The entire class breaks out into laughter and Erica slams her head face-down on her desk.

“You two can stay after class to help me clean up.” Ms. Blake says sternly, but quickly places her hand over her mouth to hide her grin.

Erica sighs angrily and throws an eraser at the back of Stiles' head as soon as Ms. Blake turns around.

When the class is over the students file out slowly. Derek is toward the back of the group. Stiles looks down at his notebook and pretends not to notice Derek and how perfect his ass looks in jeans that are probably a little too tight.

Ms. Blake stops Derek before he walks out. “Actually Derek, can you wait a sec?”

“Sure.”

“You're going to need a textbook. Do you know where the school library is? They will have one for you.”

“I'm not sure where it is but I'll find it.”

“Okay. Make sure to catch up on the reading.” She says, before an idea strikes her. “Actually...Stiles! Can you show Derek to the library?”

Stiles nearly jumps out of his seat. “Sure! Yeah. I guess. Mm hmm. Yeah. The ol' BHHS library. That's the one.”

Erica snorts and Ms. Blake and Derek just stare at him.

“Umm, you can go home after you take him there. I'm letting you and Erica off easy this time, but no more fooling around in class. I'm serious.” Ms. Blake says.

Stiles gets up and tries not to implode like a star ready to go supernova. His hands shake with excitement and anxiety as he puts his things away in his backpack.

Erica stands up and pats Stiles on the back before turning to leave. “Later, Stilinski. Buena suerte con tu novio.”

Stile perks up and freezes. He panics before he realizes Derek probably doesn't speak Spanish.

The boys leave the classroom and walk in awkward silence down the hall. Stiles is reminded of walking down the street on Halloween and talking to Derek about harvest festivals and Samhain and other stuff that he had been reading about. Stiles was used to being ignored by other people when he got over excited about random things, but Derek was so attentive. He would ask questions. He would smile at Stiles' jokes. He would look him in the eyes.

Except it's not like that, now. Derek keeps looking forward and walking in silence. It's not until they walk outside that Stiles musters up the courage to say something.

“So, my name is Stiles. I don't know if you remember me but we used to be friends when we were younger.”

“I remember, Stiles. It was only four years ago.” Derek replies without looking at him.

Stiles nods. “Right.”

Stiles is hurt by Derek's stoicism but he tries not to let it show. They walk through the school toward the library in silence. There's a million things Stiles wants to ask but he holds it in, reminding himself that things are different now. Derek is no longer a lonely little boy that is so desperate for a friend he'll settle for the first awkward dork that comes along.

“How come you're in a senior class?” Derek asks, breaking the silence.

Stiles looks over at him, surprised. “Oh, well, I'm actually graduating this year. I just need a few credits.”

Derek nods and put his hands in his pockets.

They reach the library and Stiles is disappointed that it was such a short walk. 

“Here we are! This library is actually pretty cool. Check out the-”

Stiles doesn't get the chance to finish before the library door is swung open and a guy in a varsity jacket walks out. It's Ennis, one of the players on the BHHS football team and also one of Jackson's longtime friends. Stiles doesn't know a lot about the football team but judging by how massive Ennis is, he knows he probably plays a defensive position. Stiles is pretty sure the guy could break him in half if he wanted to.

“Derek! What's up?” He turns to look at Stiles and then looks at Derek, confused. “Is this your friend?”

Stiles answers before Derek can. “I was just helping him find the library.”

Ennis ignores him and focuses his attention on Derek. “You going to Jackson's party next Friday?”

“You think Allison is going?” Derek asks.

Stiles looks down at his feet and wishes he could disappear. He imagines himself slowly going invisible, starting at his feet and up to his head.

Ennis laughs. “Damn Derek, you don't waste any time, do you? She'll be there. Anyway I gotta go. See you at practice tomorrow.”

He walks away without even glancing at Stiles.

Stiles turns to Derek. “So let me show you where you can find the textbook. They're organized sort of weird so it can be a little tricky to find the right one.”

Stiles opens the door and they both walk inside.

But when they get inside they're not in the library. They're inside a large two-story house. It's beautifully furnished and sun light is streaming through the windows. It feels homey despite its size. Stiles can smell something cooking in the kitchen and his stomach grumbles.

Suddenly two small kids run out of a room and sprint across the hall. They look to be around five years old. They're laughing euphorically and holding hands. An older girl, around thirteen years old, walks out of the room after them.

“Mom! Tell Derek and Cora to stay out of my room!” She yells as the kids run upstairs giggling.

Stiles looks over at Derek, who looks completely undone and on the verge of tears.

Stiles is about to say something to him when he's frightened by someone knocking loudly on the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're wondering what Erica said to Stiles, it translates to "Good luck with your boyfriend!".
> 
> Also, sorry if the chapters are short right now but I want the story to be structured in a certain way! Not all of them will be short.


	8. Chapter 8

The young girl slowly walks toward the door. She seems apprehensive to open it, like she smells something in the air that she doesn't like. 

The knocking continues.

A woman in an apron walks into the hall and toward the door. She has her hair in a bun and is holding a bread roller, her hands covered with flour. Stiles guesses she's in her late thirties. He thinks she's absolutely gorgeous, with stunning green eyes and an angular, lithe face.

“Mom?” Stiles hears Derek say behind him, his voice cracking. He turns around to see Derek looking absolutely devastated.

“I'll get it, Laura. Go finish your homework.” The woman says, shooing Laura away with her hands.

Laura ignores her and instead lingers behind her.

Derek's mom cautiously turns the knob and opens the door.

It's Chris Argent, looking a little frazzled but not too different from how Stiles remembers him. He's wearing a plaid shirt with the top buttons undone, exposing his hairy chest. 

“Hi. I'm really sorry to bother you, but is there any way I can use your phone? I was taking my truck up to Willow's Peak when one of my tires blew out and I'm afraid I don't have a spare or even a cell phone. I was going to walk to town but I came across this house and I was hoping...”

“Of course!” She says before he can finish. “Please come in.”

“Thank you so much Mrs. Hale.”

“How do you know my name?”

“Oh, it was on the mailbox.”

She smiles. “Oh yeah. I forgot about that.”

A man comes walking down the stairs. 

“What's going on?” He asks.

It takes a while for Stiles to realize that the man is Peter. Stiles remembers Peter as ruggedly handsome, muscular and even intimidating. But the Peter making his way down the stairs looks fresh-faced and even a little skinny. Stiles wonders how he changed so much in such a short time.

“Pete! I didn't know you were home. This guy's having some car trouble and wanted to use the phone.”

“I just need to call my sister so she can drive me to town for a new tire.” Chris explains as Peter reaches the bottom of the stairs.

“Sorry, I haven't even introduced myself. I'm Chris Argent.”

He extends his hand to the Derek's mom first and she wipes her hand on her apron before taking it. “I'm Talia.”

Chris then turns to Peter and they smile at each other awkwardly before shaking hands. “I'm Peter.”

Both men linger for a little too long and Stiles feels a tingling sensation go through his body. It's as if he can actually _feel_ the instant attraction between the two men. He walks closer to them and studies their facial expressions. It's almost like they're hypnotized by each other. They only come back to reality after Laura grabs their attention.

“And I'm Laura, not that anyone asked.” She says before walking up to Chris. “If you were going up to Willow's Peak, why are you wearing dress shoes? I'm sure you know that's an intense hike.”

Chris looks down at his feet. “Oh, I have hiking boots in my truck. I just don't like wearing them while I drive.”

Laura is about to say something when Peter interrupts.

“I can give you a ride. “

Chris raises his eyebrows. “I don't want to bother you.”

“It's not a big deal. I was heading down there later, anyway.” Peter replies. “I hope you don't mind riding in a car full of shipping supplies and unopened dog toys.”

Chris smiles. “I wouldn't mind squeezing in.”

Stiles feels his body get hot as the sexual tension between Chris and Peter intensifies. He looks over at Derek who is wiping sweat from his forehead and realizes that he must be feeling it, too. It's not an unpleasant sensation, but it makes Stiles feel a little dizzy.

He can also hear young Derek and Cora giggling upstairs and the sound bounces around in his head. He becomes acutely aware of the smell of pine trees flowing in from the open door and the light outside suddenly becomes too bright. All of his senses are heightened and his brain starts to become overwhelmed.

Stiles takes a deep breath and closes his eyes.

When he opens them again, he's back at the library and standing next to Derek near the entrance.

The librarian, a middle-aged woman with a beehive hair style and old-fashioned glasses, is staring at them curiously. “Are you boys okay?”

“Huh?” Stiles asks. He's sweating and his cheeks feel flushed.

“I asked if you're okay. You look like you just saw a ghost.”

He looks over at Derek who is still entranced and staring blankly ahead. His face is slightly red and his eyes are glazed over.

“Uh, we're fine. It's just scorching hot outside. Whew!” Stiles says, wiping sweat from his forehead.

The librarian raises an eyebrow at Stiles and then looks out the window. The sky is cloudy and it looks like it might rain at any moment.

Stiles nudges Derek and that seems to be enough to bring him back to reality. Derek looks around and quickly walks toward the bookshelves and Stiles follows. He makes sure they are out of the librarian's earshot before he grabs Derek by the arm. “We're not going to ignore that that just happened are we?”

Derek yanks his arm out of Stile's grip and looks at him furiously. “Leave me alone, Stiles.”

“Dude, what's up with you?”

“It's none of your fucking business.” Derek says before shoving Stiles. “Go away.”

The few people in the library are definitely staring now but Stiles doesn't back down. He tries to keep his cool but he doesn't understand why Derek would be so hostile, especially considering what they've experienced twice now. There's something wrong.

“Will you at least talk to me?”

Derek flares his nostrils and looks away but says nothing.

“Is it a werewolf thing? What happened just now...”

“I don't know.”

“So does it happen all the time? Or just -”

“No. It doesn't happen all the time. Are you done asking questions?”

“Why are you so angry with me?”

“I just want you to leave me alone.”

“Derek...I thought we were friends. I mean, I know that was a long time ago.” Stiles lowers his voice down to a whisper. “But you can't tell me you're just going to ignore the fact that we just got transported back in time or something. Let me help you. We can figure this out.”

Derek sighs. “Things are different now. There's nothing you can do to help me.”

“Different?”

Stiles looks down at his shabby clothes and untied shoe laces. He then looks up at Derek.

Stiles nods. “Yeah, I get it. Sorry.”

He turns around and walks away.

“Fuck. Stiles, I didn't mean-” He hears Derek say behind him.

He keeps walking.

He storms out of the library and doesn't stop until he reaches his Jeep in the school parking lot. He fumbles for his keys inside his pocket but is distracted by a voice behind him.

“Excuse me, could you please help me?” A man says in a thick British accent.

Stiles turns around to see an attractive, older man with dark blonde hair and sunglasses. He is holding a white cane, the type that blind people generally use.

“Umm. Sure.”

“I'm looking for the office. I'm not familiar with the school and I seem to be quite lost.” The man smiles.

“You're not too far from it. It's just across the street.”

“Oh, I knew I was nearby. I know this is asking a lot, but would you mind helping me get there?”

“Sure. Let me just put my stuff in my car.” Stiles opens the door to his Jeep and tosses his backpack inside. He turns around and gasps when he sees the man standing closer to him than he was before.

“You’re breathing heavily. Is everything alright?” The man asks.

“Uh, everything's fine.”

“Great. Now, if you could just grab my arm and lead the way...”

“Okay.” Stiles hooks his arm around the man's and starts to walk toward the school's administration building. He notices how powerfully built the guy is, even though he's not particularly tall.

“Are you new to Beacon Hills?”

“I'm just visiting. I'm actually a historian helping someone with research for a book. Do you know Mr. Callis?”

“Yeah. He was my history teacher last year. I didn't know he was writing a book, though. What's your area of expertise?”

“Wars and murder and mayhem. All the good stuff.”

Stiles laughs. “I don't know how much of that you'll find in Beacon Hills.”

“You'd be surprised. Every town has it's secrets.”

They reach the brick building where the administrative offices are located. Stiles opens the door and leads the man inside.

“Alright, we're here.”

“Great. That was very kind of you. Thank you.”

“No problem. See you later!” Stiles turns to walk away.

“Wait – what's your name?”

“I'm Stiles. Stiles Stilinski.”

“Stiles.” The man repeats.

“What's yours?”

The man takes off his sunglasses to reveal bloodshot blue eyes.

“My name is Deucalion.”  
-  
When Stiles gets home, he walks in to find his dad sprawled on the couch snoring with an open book resting on his chest. Stiles snorts when he sees the title of the book, _Dealing With A Gifted Teenager_.

Stiles makes as little noise as possible as he walks to the kitchen to make himself a sandwich. It's Monday, which means it's his dad's only day off and he doesn't want to wake him. Everything goes smoothly until Stiles accidentally stubs his toe on a small table, causing a chain reaction that topples over several cereal boxes.

He winces as he hears his dad shuffle around in the living room. “Stiles? Is that you?”

“Yeah! Sorry dad!”

John walks into the kitchen and stretches his arms out, yawning. “It's alright. I'm glad you woke me up, I didn't want to miss your big moment tonight.”

“Dad, it's not a big deal.”

“Like hell it isn't! Who else can say that their son gets a feature story on the evening news?”

Stiles had almost forgotten about it. A news crew had followed him around for two days earlier that month, filming him as he finished one of his robotics projects for the state science fair.

John pours himself a cup of coffee. “How was school?”

“It was okay.”

“Just okay?”

Stiles shrugs as he spreads mayo on a piece of bread.

“You know you can talk to me about anything. Is Jackson bothering you again? Because I swear I will lock up that spoiled little shithead so fast-”

“It's not that, dad.”

“Then what is it?”

Stiles sighs as he finishes putting his sandwich together. “Have you ever liked someone who's out of your league?”

“No one's out of your league, son.”

Stiles snickers. “That's such a dad answer.”

“It's true. But to answer your question: yes, I have liked someone who is out of my league. And I ended up marrying her.”

Stiles turns to look at John.

“Heh. I always felt like such a dork hanging around your mom and her friends. They were all so brilliant and I was just this hard-headed rookie cop who barely even graduated high school. Sometimes their jokes would fly right over my head and I would laugh like I knew what they were talking about.”

John takes a seat on a stool. “And it didn't help that she was beautiful. Not just in the way she looked but in the way she treated people. She was extraordinary and so are you. I know you think I'm giving you a dad answer but it's the truth. Any guy would be lucky to have you and if he doesn't see it he's an idiot.”

Stiles nods and smiles because, surprisingly, his dad's words have actually made him feel a lot better. 

“Thanks dad. I'll be in my room if you need me.”  
-

Stiles' room hasn't changed much since he was twelve, with notes and diagrams pinned on the walls, next to video game posters and magazine clippings. There's also a big whiteboard with equations scribbled on it and a desk strewn with small electronic parts, cogs and tools.

Stiles pulls out a comic book from a desk drawer and sits down on his bed. He gobbles up his sandwich as he reads. Before he knows it, he has his head on a pillow and he's dozing off.

He dreams about being the eel again. This time, he's swimming frantically in dark water, trying to get away from something. He doesn't know what it is, but he can feel it's massive presence behind him and knows that if he stops swimming he'll be caught.

He gets the feeling he _really_ doesn't want to be caught.


	9. Chapter 9

Stiles vaguely recalls being begrudgingly dragged out of bed by his dad and led to the couch, where he's now sitting watching the evening news on TV. His dad is inserting a VHS tape into the VCR and getting ready to record.

“I knew this thing would come in handy again some day.” John says, before hitting the record button. “I think your story is on after this one.”

John takes a seat next to Stiles who is still half asleep.

He yawns. “It's really not that big of a deal dad.”

John puts a finger up as if to shush Stiles. “Your grandma is missing bingo to watch this. Don't tell me it isn't important.”

Stiles smiles and rolls his eyes just as he hears his name coming from the TV.

On the screen, a young woman in business attire is standing in front of Beacon Hills High School. The wind is blowing strands of her hair on to her face but she ignores it. 

“Beacon Hills is best known for their annual Halloween celebration, which draws visitors from all over the country, but now there's another reason why this northern California town is gathering national attention.”

The camera cuts to Stiles in the math room working on a small spider-like robot attached to a computer. He looks unaware of the camera as he carefully takes a piece of the robot apart with a screw driver, biting his lip while he does so.

“Stiles Stilinski, a student at Beacon Hills High School, has the scientific community abuzz with a line of robots he has been developing on his own for the past two years.”

The scene shifts again. This time the camera is fixed directly on Stiles. He's standing outside of a classroom, wearing an old t-shirt with a low v-neck that exposes his collar bones and a tan line around the bottom of his long neck. He looks uncomfortable and fidgets with his glasses as the interviewer asks him questions.

“So what can you tell me about the work your doing?” She asks.

“Uh, well.” He clears his throat. “Umm. Well, mainly my focus is figuring out how to get robots to move quickly and fluidly.”

He looks like he's waiting for her to ask another question but starts to talk again when she simply nods. “Usually when you look at a robot, they are really slow and awkward. I wanted to see if I could figure out a way to make them move faster. I took my inspiration from spiders and other arachnids.”

The next part of the segment showcases a few of the robots as they move across the floor and up the wall. They use sensors and a camera to navigate the room, moving as if they have a mind of their own. One of them even runs out of an open door.

The robots had started out as a hobby. His dad bought him an inexpensive robot kit not long after Derek disappeared and Stiles became obsessed. He had started out making simple bots that were little more than wind-up toys, but they eventually evolved into complex machines. After showcasing them at last year's science fair, he got the attention of the engineers at the Center for Robotics and Embedded Systems at USC, who offered him a generous grant to continue his work.

He also became a bit of a sensation among tech nerds for a while, with articles about him in Wired and Popular Mechanics.

No one at school seemed to care, though. It certainly didn't make him more popular or liked.

The news segment continues. This time the camera is aimed at Stiles while he types code on a laptop. The reporter speaks in voice over.

“Stiles, who is the son of late neuroscientist Claudia Grant-Stilinski, is currently preparing a demonstration for the California State Science Fair. He was tight-lipped about exactly what he was going to show, but hinted that he would unveil a new robot prototype.”

The segment ends and the scene shifts back to the newsroom.

Before Stiles knows it, John is hugging him tightly. “Proud of you.”

“Thanks dad.”

The phone rings and Stiles rushes to pick it up. He knows it's Scott before he even answers.

“Duuuuuuude!”

Stiles laughs. “Hey man.”

“That was awesome! My mom is literally crying with happiness right now.”

Stiles hears Scott's mom, Melissa, yell at Scott in the background.

“Actually, she says not to tell you she's crying. So, she's not crying. OWW!” Scott laughs. “She just threw a sandal at me! I'm gonna call Child Protective Services!”

It's never been a mystery where Scott gets his sass from. It's genetic.

Stiles hears a scuffle and Scott laughing. The next thing he knows he's hearing Melissa's voice.

“Stiles, I'm really proud of you. Your mama would be proud too.”

“Thanks Melissa.”

“I bet the boys at school are gonna be all over you tomorrow.”

Stiles chuckles. “If only.”

“Well I gotta go, but I'll see you sometime.”

“Yeah! You guys should come over for dinner sometime soon. When's your day off?”

Stiles doesn't miss how his dad's head perks up from behind the couch when he hears mention of dinner with Melissa.

“I'm off Friday and next Monday.”

“My dad's off next Monday, so maybe we'll see you then?”

“That would be perfect. Tell John I'll be expecting some of his famous pasta.”

“I'll let him know.”

Melissa gives the phone to Scott.

“So Stiles, I wanted to ask you a favor.”

Stiles walks away with the phone, out of the hearing distance of his dad.

“I'm not sneaking into Mr. Harris' house again, Scott. I know the guy's a jerk but we almost got caught last time.”

“It's not that.”

“Oh.”

“Remember when I told you I was going to help Danny show a new student around?”

“Yeah. The guy from London.”

“His name's Isaac.” Scott sighs before rambling. “He watches Doctor Who and he plays video games and his favorite movie is Star Wars and he's really cool and really nice.”

Stiles can't help smiling to himself. “And let me guess...he's cute?”

Scott goes quiet for a few seconds before sighing again. “The cutest.”

“So what do you need me for?”

“Well, I kinda sorta told him I'd take him to the lake but we don’t have a ride...I was hoping maybe you could take us?”

“You want me to chaperone your date?”

“It's not a date. I don't even know if he likes me.”

Stiles smiles to himself. It's unusual for Scott to be so shy and Stiles finds it cute.

“Alright, I'll do it.”

-

Scott introduces Isaac to Stiles during lunch the next day when he joins them at their usual table in the cafeteria. Outside, there is a rally going on for the softball team. The boys can hear muffled music and chanting coming from the courtyard.

Isaac is tall, lanky and hopelessly adorable. Stiles can't help but feel that he's out of place at the school, and not just because he's from a different country. He's polite, intelligent and even a little bashful. He seems to have a hard time making eye contact, turning his bright blue eyes away every so often during a conversation. It's a sharp contrast to many of the other boys at BHHS, who are all hormones and rough edges.

“So how are you liking Beacon Hills?” Stiles asks. 

“It's very different from what I'm used to. It's a nice change of scenery. I love all the mountains and forests surrounding the city.”

“Yeah, there's some great spots around here. You'll like the lake. And there's also Willow's Peak, which is probably my favorite place in the world. You can see all of Beacon Hills when you get to the top. I go hiking up there with Scott sometimes. We'll show you around some day. Right, Scott?”

Scott is currently staring at Isaac like he's counting every freckle on his face and every curly hair on his head.

“Huh?”

“I said we'd take Isaac up to Willow's Peak sometime.”

“Oh yeah, totally.” Scott says, snapping out of his daydream.

“Did you two grow up in Beacon Hills?”

“I moved here when I was kid and Scott was born here. I think you'll like it.”

Stiles barely finishes his sentence when he suddenly feels a small, squishy object hit the back of his head. “Oww!”

“I got him!” He hears Jackson yell behind him, followed by the sounds of laughter coming from the football jocks. “Holy shit my aim is perfect!”

He turns around to see Jackson's table of friends laughing. It seems that half of the football team is there. The only person that isn't laughing is Derek, who is looking down at his food with an angry expression on his face and stirring it absentmindedly.

Stiles then looks down on the floor and sees the cherry tomato that Jackson just hit him with.

“What's your problem?” Scott yells out.

Jackson laughs and yells back. “Relax, McCall! We're just having some fun with your little boyfriend.”

Stiles turns back around. “Just ignore them, Scott.” He turns to Isaac. “That's Jackson and his cronies. They hate my guts.”

“Why?” Isaac asks.

“Honestly, I don't really know.”

“Hey Smelinski!” Stiles hears from behind him. “Saw you on the news last night. You looked so fucking stupid!”

Jackson throws another piece of food at the back of Stiles' head and, once again, the football players react with loud, boisterous laughter.

Stiles is unsure why he does what he does next. Maybe it's because he's finally had enough of Jackson's abuse and because he still has lingering hurt feelings from his encounter with Derek at the library.

Stiles gets up and walks toward Jackson's table. He hears Scott call out to him but doesn't let that stop him.

His mind is focused. He's taking Jackson down.

He reaches the table and is about to lunge at Jackson when he's lifted and thrown to the ground like a rag doll.

He looks up to see Ennis standing above him. He tries to get up but Ennis places a foot on his chest.

“Let him go!” Scott yells as he runs to try and help Stiles. Isaac is behind him, looking more than a little concerned. It's probably not what he was expecting for his second day of school.

Two football players grab Scott and hold him back. He struggles against them but they're too big and strong to let him escape.

Stiles briefly wonders why there aren't any teachers or staff interfering when he remembers the rally going on outside and figures they're taking part in it. The cafeteria is nearly empty. The few students that are inside look on nervously.

Jackson stands above Stiles and spits on him. “You're so fucking pathetic. No wonder your mom died. She couldn't bare living with you.”

Stiles closes his eyes. He zones out. His anger leaves him, replaced by deep sorrow. He knows Jackson is just trying to rile him up. He knows he's just pushing his buttons and that there's no truth to what he's saying. But it cuts him deep, because it takes him back to being a little kid and hiding under the covers crying, blaming himself for his mom's death.

He loses himself in a storm of emotions until he hears a familiar voice. Derek.

“Let him go.”

Stiles opens his eyes. Derek is standing in front of Ennis and staring him down. His fists are clenched, his bicep muscles flexing.

Ennis smirks. “Chill out Derek, he's just a fucking nerd.”

“Let him go.”

Ennis takes his foot off of Stiles' chest and backs away. He snickers and turns around to walk away, the rest of the football players and Jackson following close behind. Stiles can hear them joking and laughing as they leave, but he can't make out what they're saying. He can't concentrate on anything.

Because Derek is kneeling down next to him.

“That was really stupid,” Derek says.

“I can take care of myself.” Stiles answers defensively. “You should go join your friends.”

Before Derek can answer, Scott and Isaac kneel down next to him too. 

“You okay?” Scott asks.

“I'm fine.” Stiles replies, lifting himself off the ground. The other boys also stand.

Scott turns to Derek. “Dude, I've never seen anyone stand up to Ennis like that.”

Derek nods. His eyes are still focused on Stiles. 

Stiles tries his best to ignore the way it's making him feel.

“Are you sure you're okay?” Derek asks.

“Positive.” Stiles says flatly. He looks over at Scott and Isaac. “Come on guys, let's go.”

Stiles can practically feel Derek's eyes on him all the way out of the cafeteria.


	10. Chapter 10

Stiles really hates Erica.

Well, he doesn't really hate her, he just wishes she wasn't so good at meddling in his life like she is. Like the time she thought it would be a good idea to set him up on a date with Matt, which ended up being a disaster. Or the time she tried to give him an impromptu “makeover”, which ended with him having to go to the hospital with welts on his face because of an allergic reaction to a moisturizer she splattered on him.

Or the time that she convinced Ms. Blake to sit Derek and Stiles side by side under the pretense that Stiles is the best student and Derek may need help since he's missed a big chunk of the school year.

Which is why Stiles is currently trying his best to stifle the urge to look over at Derek sitting in the desk next to him and trying to pay attention to what Ms. Blake is lecturing about. She's discussing creative writing. Something to do with twist endings and unreliable narrators.

He's distracted every time Derek shifts in his seat or jots down notes, though. He can also smell a hint of his cologne, which doesn't help.

Suddenly a note lands on his table. It's folded in a square and Stiles looks down on it, astonished, before opening it with shaky fingers.

_I'm sorry about what I said at the library. I didn't mean it the way you thought I did._

Stiles doesn't have the courage to look over at Derek. He can barely write a coherent response.

_How did you mean it, then?_

He waits for a moment when Ms. Blake is turned away from them before passing the note back. He misses, of course, and it lands on the ground. But Derek scoops it up right away.

_There's so much going on right now that you don't know about. It's dangerous to be around me._

This time Stiles knows exactly what to write back.

_I'm not afraid._

Derek sighs when he reads it.

_You should be._

_Well I'm not._

_That's because you don't know what you're dealing with._

_Then why don't you tell me? All I want to do is help._

Derek doesn't get a chance to reply because Ms. Blake decides to give the class a pop quiz. It’s quite extensive as far as pop quizzes go, so it takes up the remainder of the class.

When the bell rings, Derek walks out before Stiles can even finish putting his stuff away in his backpack.

Stiles does manage to catch up to Erica as she's walking to her locker though.

“Hey Erica, what the hell was that?”

She smiles smugly at him. “What do you mean?”

“Oh come on, convincing Ms. Blake to sit me next to Derek. What's the deal with that?”

“I thought you could use some action. And judging by how you two were passing notes to each other like two preteens in love, it looks like I succeeded.”

Stiles sighs angrily. “Why do you do this to me?”

Erica stops walking. “You really want to know why?”

Stiles nods impatiently.

“Because you have to give yourself a chance.” She says earnestly to him. It surprises Stiles, because even though he knows Erica has a good heart, he's only ever seen it veiled under her aura of self-confidence and condescension.

“Look, Stiles, I'm going to admit something to you but you can't tell anybody. Got it?”

“Uh, yeah, sure.”

“I had the biggest crush on you when we first met.”

Stiles can't help the face he makes. “What?”

“Yeah, I know. Well, this is before I knew you liked cock.” She says, smiling. “Actually, I'm not the only girl whose heart you've broken.”

“You're joking.”

“Nope. I guess a lot of us have a weakness for pale, awkward boys who don't realize how cute they are.”

Stiles looks down at the floor and fidgets with his glasses. “Shut up.”

Erica laughs. “See that's what I mean! If you were straight you'd be knee-deep in pussy.”

Stiles covers his ears with his hands. “Oh my god, Erica.”

Erica grabs Stiles hands and brings them down. “Derek drives a black Camaro. He's probably out in the parking lot right now. Why don't you at least try and talk to him?”

She kisses him on the cheek and walks away.

-

It doesn't take long for Stiles to locate Derek's car in the parking lot. There's a pretty girl sitting on the trunk talking to Derek. Derek looks mildly interested, smiling and nodding while she talks. Stiles thinks about waiting for her to leave before approaching him but musters up the courage to go up to him right away. His palms start to sweat as he makes his way toward the car.

“Hey, can I talk to you for a sec?”

The girl looks Stiles up and down before answering. “Ugh, no.”

“Actually I was talking to Derek,” Stiles replies.

The girl rolls her eyes. “Whatever. I gotta go anyway. See you later, Der.”

She gives him a hug that lingers for a little too long and walks away.

Derek looks over at Stiles and sighs. “Stiles...”

Stiles puts his hands up. “Let me just say a couple of things and if after I'm done you want me to leave you alone, I will.”

Derek says nothing. He just leans against the car, crosses his arms, and waits for Stiles to speak.

“First off, thanks for standing up to Jackson and Ennis at lunch. I know I acted sort of like a jerk...I just – I didn't know how to feel. I mean, one minute you're literally pushing me away from you and the next you're saving my ass. I know I may have overstepped my bounds at the library...but dude, there has to be a reason why we keep having those weird flashbacks. And I'm the kind of person that likes to break things open to find out how they work. I have this need to get to the bottom of everything...”

“I've noticed.” Derek sighs and looks directly at Stiles. His eyes are hypnotizing. Vibrantly green with a splash of orange in the center. “Listen Stiles, if I tell you everything I know, you have to promise me that you'll keep it a secret. You can't tell Scott or your dad or anybody, understand?”

“Of course!” Stiles replies a little too giddily.

“Okay.” Derek nods solemnly. “Get in the car.”

“What?”

Derek doesn't answer and instead walks to the car door and opens it, then gets in the driver's seat. Stiles hesitates for a second but eventually gets into the Camaro. The inside of the car is sleek and polished. It looks brand new. Stiles wonders how Derek can afford it.

Derek starts the car and begins to pull out of the parking lot.

“Umm, so...where exactly are we going?” Stiles asks. He can't help how shaky his voice sounds.

Derek puts on a pair of dark aviator sunglasses. “I have to show you something.”

Stiles really wishes Derek wasn't so cryptic about the details but he doesn't say anything as Derek drives out of the school. He drives a few blocks before turning on to Vorhees Highway, a long stretch of road that eventually heads right through the middle of the woods.

Derek reaches into his jacket pocket and hands Stiles a note with a symbol written on it. “Recognize it?”

Stiles turns the paper over at stares at the symbol, which looks like three spirals that are interlocked in the middle. “Hmm...”

“It's called a triskelion.” Derek says.

“Wait. I think we learned about this in Mr. Callis' class last year. It's a Druid symbol, right?”

“Yeah. But it 's actually older than the Druids. A lot older. They attached their own meaning to it, but to werewolves the significance is different.”

“What is it?”

“The three spirals represent three different things: man, animal and monster. The middle is where they meet.” 

Stiles stares at the symbol and nods. “I don't know if you remember this, but when we used to hang out I told you about the way I visualize numbers as distinct shapes. I guess it's sort of a weird quirk I've always had.”

“I remember. You said the number eight reminded you of an amoeba,” Derek says, and it makes Stiles' feel stupidly happy. Derek remembers the time they shared together. He hasn't locked it away in a memory box full of unimportant memories in the back of his head that he never opens. He actually remembers.

“Yeah. Well, these spirals, they almost remind me of the number four. A set of three number fours. But the way they're joined together...I don't know, I'm not making any sense. I don't even know why that popped into my head.”

Derek nods and continues. “To understand what the triskelion means, you have to know a little about how werewolf packs operate. There are different kinds of werewolves in a pack: alphas, betas and omegas. Just like wolves in the wild.”

“Alphas are like the leaders, right?”

“They're more than that. They're like parents or guardians.”

“Oh.”

“But there's also another type of werewolf that's much more rare: a chimera.”

Stiles looks over at Derek, puzzled.

“Usually, there's two ways of becoming a werewolf. Either you're bitten, or you're the offspring of a werewolf pair. Normally humans and werewolves can't interbreed because they are actually separate species, albeit closely related. But sometimes, through some freak genetic anomaly, a human-werewolf hybrid can be born. These are called chimeras.” Derek takes a deep breath before continuing. “Normally, betas and omegas can only turn into werewolves, while alphas generally take on a full wolf form. Chimeras can do both. They are also usually stronger, more agile and faster at healing. They also have other abilities...”

“So it's like they're a pack in themselves.”

“Exactly. And that's what the triskelion means: being three things at once.”

“But what does this have to do with you?”

“You'll see.”

Stiles looks down at the note with the triskelion in his hand. It's strange for him to think that stuff like werewolves even exist. He thinks about what kind of biological process makes it possible. He gets lost in his thoughts for several minutes. When he finally looks up, he sees that they've stopped on a road surrounded by forest. Beautiful redwoods hover over the car like giants. Derek is taking off his jacket and putting it in the back seat. “Come on,” he says to Stiles and gets out of the car.

Stiles sticks the note in his pocket and opens the door. The first thing he notices when he gets out is how the floor is covered with crunchy leaves. More are falling even now, as a cool wind snakes through the woods, making a sound that reminds Stiles of the ocean.

“This way,” Derek says and heads into the wild.

“Umm. Okay. But are you sure you know where you're going? People get lost in these woods, you know. It's a thing that actually happens all the time. And maybe we should have brought some bottled water or a compass? I just feel sort of unprepared I mean I know-”

Derek looks back at Stiles. “Just trust me.”

That's more than enough to shut Stiles up. He follows Derek quietly as they trek through the forest. There's no trail, and the walk is slightly uphill. Stiles starts to get tired after nearly an hour of nonstop hiking. His breathing is starting to get a little difficult too. He thinks about asking Derek for a rest but doesn't want to seem like a weakling. Not to mention Derek decided to wear tight pants again and Stiles is loving the view from behind.

Eventually they stop when they reach two massive, strange looking trees that are only a few feet apart from each other. Stiles looks up at them, astonished. They remind him of baobabs, which is of course impossible, because this is Northern California and not Madagascar.

“What are these?” Stiles asks.

“A doorway.”

Stiles looks at Derek puzzled. Derek extends his hand toward Stiles and all of a sudden Stiles' heart feels like it's going to explode. He has to be hallucinating this, because there's no way that Derek is _actually_ asking to hold hands.

Derek looks at Stiles right in the eyes, his jaw is clenched, and his face has an expression that Stiles can't quite read. “Humans can't enter here by themselves. You'll have to hold my hand to get in.”

Stiles takes hold of Derek's hand. Derek gently intertwines their fingers and leads him in toward the two giant trees. “Close your eyes,” he says.

Stiles does as he's told as they walk through the middle of the two trees.

“Okay. Open them.”

They are standing in a clearing surrounded by gray, rotted redwoods. The forest floor is covered with moss and ferns. There are small stone markers jutting out of the dirt everywhere, hundreds of them.

Derek and Stiles are still holding hands.

They break apart after a few seconds and Stiles takes a puff of his inhaler. “It's a graveyard.”

Derek nods. “But this one is...different.”

“Yeah, it's in the middle of the woods and behind a magic door.”

Derek shakes his head. “That's not what I mean.”

Stiles looks around, puzzled. “Then what do you mean?”

“Everyone buried here has been killed by the Alpha pack.”

“Who?”

Derek looks down at the graves. “A pack of rogue Alphas that killed their own packs.”

Stiles sits down on the ground to read some of the markings on the graves. “But why would they do that?”

Derek kneels down next to Stiles. He's close enough that Stiles can make out a small smudge of dirt on Derek's cheek. He thinks about how he could just close the distance between them then and there, how easy it would be to just reach out and wipe the smudge off with his thumb. He wonders how Derek's skin would feel, rough with stubble.

Having Derek this close is like staring at the sun.

“They want youth,” Derek continues. “Killing a werewolf invigorates you, it gives you power and extends your life.”

Stiles looks at the dates on the stones. “Some of these go back to the 1800s!”

Derek nods. “Their leader is more than two hundred years old.”

“Holy shit,” Stiles whispers. “Who's their leader?”

“I don't know what his name is now. He's had many. But other werewolves have given him a nickname: Duke.”

“And the rest of the Alpha pack?”

“I don't know who they are, either. They're not as old as he is and they change. When they die off, which happens eventually no matter how many kills they get, Duke recruits new Alphas. He's lived all over the world. These graves here...they're just the wolves he's killed in Beacon Hills and the surrounding towns.”

“But wait, if Alphas die off eventually, why hasn't Duke died?”

“He's a chimera.”

“So that's why you showed me that symbol...”

“Yeah. But it's not the only reason.”

Derek stands up and Stiles follows.

Derek starts to take off his shirt and Stiles' knees feel like they're going to buckle. He doesn't know what Derek is doing, but there's no way he's going to stop him. It seems to happen in slow motion, with Derek slowly lifting his shirt, first revealing a trail of hair leading from his belly button into his pants, then his six pack abs, and finally his well-sculpted pecs, which are peppered with dark hair.

Stiles is speechless.

Derek turns around to reveal a large, black triskelion tattoo on his broad upper back.

“You...you're...” Stiles stammers.

Derek looks back at Stiles. “Yeah. I'm a chimera, too.”


	11. Chapter 11

When Stiles was nine he used to fantasize about not having a home. Not because he didn't like his home, but because he thought it would be an adventure. He could pack a suitcase full of his things and travel the world, he could go to uncharted places and meet people who spoke unfamiliar languages. He could explore old castle ruins and make friends with wild animals. He eventually outgrew the fantasy like most kids do when they realize the world is a much wider and scarier place than they had initially imagined. Not having a home would not be fun, and the wild animals would probably kill you.

But the urge to discover and seek out mystery never left him. Which is why learning about hundred-year old werewolves and chimeras and magic portals located in between baobab trees excites Stiles just as much as it scares him.

He grills Derek about werewolf history and learns that Beacon Hills used to be a hotspot for them, especially the surrounding woods. They coexisted with humans, although most humans were completely unaware of their existence. Werewolves are naturally weary about the world and rarely attack anything but animals they hunt for food. However, just as with humans, there are also bad wolves. Wolves like Duke.

Because of this, a group of humans who were aware of werewolves and concerned for the safety of the public formed a vigilante group and called themselves Hunters. They had a pact: they would only hunt wolves that hurt humans.

But this pact was open to interpretation and many innocent werewolves died.

“So that's what Chris Argent is? A Hunter?” Stiles and Derek are walking through the woods and back to the car. The sun is going down but Stiles isn't worried. He trusts that Derek knows the way.

“Yeah. The whole Argent family.”

“I guess that explains Allison Argent's crazy archery skills.”

Derek nods.

By the time they reach the Camaro the sun has gone down. Stiles is happy to jump into the passenger's seat as the air outside is becoming unbearably cold and he's only wearing a thin t-shirt. He sighs happily when Derek turns on the car's heater before driving away. “Aaah, toasty, ” Stiles lets out.

He thinks he sees Derek smile, just a little tiny bit.

The night is beautiful. The moon is half illuminated and there isn't a cloud in the sky. Stiles can smell Derek, he thinks he can even hear him breathing. He leans his head against the window and watches the stars as they drive back to the school.

When they get there, the gate to the parking lot is closed. Stiles' jeep is still inside.

“Crap. I'll have to walk home.”

“I can drive you. It's my fault we're back so late anyway.” Derek offers.

Stiles cranes his neck so hard to turn to look at Derek that he nearly strains it. “Really?”

“Yeah. Do you still live in the same place?”

“Yup! The same old, crappy apartment building.”

Derek starts the car again and heads toward Third Street. Stiles can't believe that Derek remembers where he lives.

Beacon Hills is mostly quiet at night, but it's only nine o'clock so there are a few restaurants and shops still open. Stiles stares at the people inside as the car passes them by. It's strange for him to think about how they live their lives unaware that a hidden world exists all around them. What would they do if they knew about the wolves?

When they finally reach the apartment complex, Stiles is disappointed that their time together has to end.

“Is your dad gonna be mad that you're late?” Derek asks.

“Nah. He's working the late shift. Wont be home till morning. Wanna come inside?”

Stiles can't believe he just invited Derek inside. He wishes he could grab the words in the air and shove them back into his mouth. “I mean...uh, sorry. You're probably busy. Sorry. Just...I'll see you tomorrow.”

“I'm not busy.”

“Oh?” Stiles says in an embarrassingly high-pitched voice. He clears his throat before trying again. “Oh. Cool.”

Derek parks the car and they head toward the apartment. Stiles hopes that Derek doesn't notice how shaky his hand is while unlocking the door.

It's dark and a little bit stuffy inside. Stiles kicks off his shoes and turns on the light. “Want something to drink?”

“I'll have some water.”

Stiles pours them both a glass of water and they swiftly gulp it down.

“So I've got something pretty cool to show you.” Stiles says before heading into his room. Derek quietly follows but hesitates for a second before walking through the doorway. It takes Stiles a second to remember that the first time Derek walked through the door they both ended up in the middle of the woods watching Derek's house burn down.

“So this is it!” Stiles motions to a framed X-Men poster on the wall. “It's signed by Stan Lee! Can you believe it? My dad and I went to a convention a couple of years ago and I got to meet him. Best day of my life.”

It strikes Stiles that maybe Derek isn't into comic books anymore and he feels a little embarrassed when he realizes how overexcited he sounded.

Derek walks up to the poster and examines it before commenting. “I keep trying to find signed print on eBay but they're so expensive. Did you read Deadly Genesis? I wasn't crazy about the retcon, but I liked it a lot.”

Stiles smiles, probably too widely. “Yeah! I totally agree.”

Derek paces around the room and looks at the papers pinned to the wall, and at the whiteboard with scribbles and equations on it. He stops when he reaches Stiles' desk. He looks at the objects on it curiously before picking up a small robot shaped like an orb spider. The orb on it's back looks like a small light bulb. He holds it in between his fingers and it comes alive, moving its legs like it's trying to get away. “I saw you on the news,” he says, his voice sounds distracted, he seems transfixed by the spider's leg movements.

Stiles blushes. He's sitting on the bed with his legs crossed. “Yeah...that was sort of embarrassing. But my dad was really happy about it. He taped it and I'm pretty sure he made copies for all the cops at the station.”

Derek puts the robot down and it scampers into a dark corner. “That's...incredible,” he says. The spider emerges from it's corner a moment later and quickly runs down the side of the desk and into a shoe box full of ten other similar robots. They all light up, flashing different colors from the orbs on their backs like Christmas lights. Derek makes a quiet, surprised sound.

“I call those ShyBots. They're a top secret project I'm working on.”

Derek actually smiles and Stiles can help but mirror him.

Derek then walks over to a telescope Stiles has pointing out the window and bends over to look into the eyepiece. Stiles tries to not pay attention to how Derek's shirt is slightly rising above his belt line, exposing part of his underwear. He's pretty sure this whole staring-at-Derek's-ass thing is bordering on creepy now. But he can't help it.

Stiles doesn't get too much time to admire it because all of the lights in the apartment suddenly go off. He can only make out Derek's silhouette against the moonlight outside and the glow of the multicolored lights coming from the box of ShyBots under the desk.

“Must be a power outage,” Stiles says.

Derek says nothing, but his eyes start to glow in the darkness.

“I hear something,” he says.

“What?” Stiles asks.

“There's someone walking around outside. I hear their footsteps.” He tilts his head to the side. “They're pacing outside the front door, two of them. They must have followed us here.”

Stiles' heart starts to race. “What do we do?”

“Stay here,” Derek says, and walks out of the room.

Stiles follows him anyway.

Derek is slowly walking toward the front door. There's a noise coming from the door, like someone is trying to pick the lock. Stiles is sure that he also sees a shadow move across the kitchen window. Whatever it is, it has to be incredibly agile, because they are on the second floor and that window points toward the street. There's nothing to walk on but a very thin ledge.

Stiles feels himself starting to panic just as Derek reaches the front door.

Derek unlocks the door and swings it open violently. As soon as he does, the man outside takes off running. Stiles doesn't even get a chance to see who it is before Derek takes off running after him.

Which leaves Stiles alone in the apartment.

There's a noise coming from the bathroom. The window in there isn't big, but it's big enough for someone to crawl inside. Stiles runs into his room and shuts the door, locking it. He feels dizzy, like he'll collapse at any moment. He can't control his breathing.

There's definitely someone inside the house now. Stiles can hear them pacing around, opening cupboards and doors, as if they're looking for something, or someone.

The noises outside get closer and closer until they are just outside Stiles' door. The doorknob rattles violently. Stiles is paralyzed with fear. He pictures himself dying in his room and having his dad find his body. He imagines his funeral, he wont get a chance to say goodbye to Scott or Melissa, he wont get to see Derek again.

He can't let that happen.

Stiles frantically paces around the room trying to find something to use as a weapon. It’s too dark to see much, so he grabs the box of ShyBots and dumps them on his desk. They scatter everywhere, acting like small light bulbs illuminating anything they come close to. Stiles manages to spot a small welding torch he uses to join metals together. He suddenly remembers that he also has an aerosol can of WD-40 in the top desk drawer and realizes he can use both items to make an impromptu flamethrower. He opens the drawer and feels around. After a few tense moments, he feels the aerosol can and grabs it.

The person on the other side of the door is determined to open it. They crash into it with supernatural force again and again. Stiles readies himself a few feet away from the door. He knows the flame will only go as far as the can sprays so he has to remain somewhat close. He turns on the torch, points the can’s valve behind it, and braces himself.

As soon as the door swings open, Stiles presses down on the valve and a huge flame shoots in the direction of the man. The stranger’s jacket catches fire and he panics, backing out of the room and swinging his arms around trying to extinguish the flame.

The flame illuminates the man’s face and Stiles recognizes him. It’s Aiden, one of Jackson’s friends. He also has a twin brother, Ethan. Stiles can only tell them apart because Aiden has a scar running down his right cheek and Ethan doesn't.

Aiden manages to put the fire out and everything goes dark again. Stiles can smell smoke, but the only thing he sees is Aiden's eyes in the dark. They're red and impossibly bright.

Stiles readies the can and torch again. “Stay back.”

“Even if I couldn't see in the dark I would still know you were scared, Stiles. I can smell it on you.”

“What do you want from me?” Stiles asks.

“I need the key. Give it to me and I wont hurt you.”

“What key?”

All of a sudden Stiles feels Aiden's hand gripping his throat. “Don't play stupid with me.”

It's at this moment that the lights come back on. Stiles can clearly see burn marks on Aiden's face, but they are healing right before his eyes. Aiden is sweating and his mouth is clamped shut in an angry grimace. Stiles feels the wolf's claws digging into his skin.

“Tell me where the key is and I'll let you live.”

“I don't know. Aiden, please-”

“Stiles, I don't have time-” Aiden doesn't finish the sentence because something near the door grabs his attention. He lets go of Stiles and Stiles falls to the floor coughing. He feels a hot, stinging sensation where Aiden's claws were and knows he's probably bleeding. He touches his neck and then looks at the blood on his fingers. It makes him dizzy.

He hears a thump and looks up to see Derek on top of Aiden. He starts punching him, and Stiles thinks he can actually hear Aiden's bones breaking.

“Derek! Stop!” Stiles yells. It stings his throat.

Derek does as he's told. He looks over at Stiles, who by now has tears in his eyes. He wipes them off, the last thing he wants is to seem weak.

“Derek, stop. I'm okay. Please stop.”

Derek flares his nostrils and turns his head back down to look at Aiden who by this point is nearly unconscious. “If you ever hurt him again, I will rip your head off. Do you understand?”

Aiden manages to nod and Derek gets up. “Get out of here.”

Aiden sluggishly gets up and walks toward the open door.

“And tell Duke I'm not going down without a fight,” Derek says before closing the door.

He walks over to Stiles and kneels down next to him. Stiles feels like he doesn't have the strength to get up.

“I knew I should have kept you out of this,” Derek says.

“I'm okay. Just a little scratch.” Stiles tries to get up but stumbles. Derek grabs him around the waist to stop him from falling.

Their eyes meet and Stiles smiles. “The guy you were chasing was Aiden's brother, wasn't it?”

“Yeah.”

“I guess we know who two of the Alphas are now. I didn’t expect them to be Jackson's douchebag friends, though. I think Duke needs a better recruitment strategy.”

Derek doesn't react. He keeps staring at Stiles like he's looking for something in his eyes. Maybe he's looking for fear, for any sign that Stiles can't handle all of this.

“Let's get you to bed. They wont be back tonight,” Derek says, and leads Stiles back into his room.

“The apartment is a mess,” Stiles says as he sits down on his bed.

“I'll take care of it.” Derek replies.

“They were looking for a key...”

“Get some sleep. We'll talk about it later.”

Stiles is pretty sure he shouldn't sleep when he's still bleeding, but he lies down anyway. He feels lethargic, which must be some sort of reaction to being scratched. “Am I going to turn into a werewolf?”

“No,” Derek replies. “You have to be bitten.”

Stiles nods and closes his eyes. He feels himself falling asleep almost instantly, but just manages to hear Derek say something before walking out of the room.

“By the way, I'm staying over tonight.”


	12. Chapter 12

Stiles wakes up a couple of hours later. He feels his neck for scratches or blood, but there's nothing there. For a second he wonders if it was just a dream. After all, the idea that two high school students he's known since he was just a kid are actually murderous Alpha werewolves is a little farfetched. But then he sees Derek sitting at the edge of his bed eating a bowl of cereal and flipping through a magazine.

“I didn't know you liked Lucky Charms.” Stiles says, groggily. 

Derek looks over at him. “You're awake.”

Stiles sits up a little too quickly and gets dizzy. “Yeah, sort of.” He rubs his neck again. “What happened to my neck?”

“I healed you. It's not a big deal.”

“But how...”

“Not all of my powers are destructive,” Derek says, managing to half-smile.

Stiles yawns and stretches out. “You know, you could totally be a super hero if you wanted to. I can't really picture you in tights and a a cape but I gotta say this whole Chimera thing is extremely bad ass.”

Derek snorts.

Stiles hears a rattling at the window and realizes it's raining. He gets up and opens the window to take in the fresh air. He also looks around for any sign of the twins.

'They wont be back tonight,” Derek says behind him. “But I'm going to stay, just to be safe.”

Stiles walks back to the bed and sits down next to Derek. “You don't have to do that, but thanks.”

Stiles wants to ask Derek about the key Aiden was looking for but Derek stands up to take his empty cereal bowl to the kitchen before Stiles gets a chance. When he comes back into the room he takes off his shoes. “I'll sleep on the floor if that's okay with you...”

“Sure, uh, let me try and find you some blankets.”

Stiles walks to the bathroom and takes out a few blankets and a pillow from a cabinet. He's relieved to see that the apartment looks neat and grateful that Derek even took the time to clean up. There's no sign of the ruckus that occurred a few hours before, except for the slight lingering smell of smoke in the air.

He walks back toward his room. “So you're a lucky man Derek because not only did I find blankets, but I also found a pill-”

Derek is standing in Stiles' room wearing nothing but maroon boxer briefs and a t-shirt. His pants are folded neatly on the floor. Stiles tries really hard to remain calm and not focus his attention on Derek's very noticeable bulge.

“I also found a pillow...” Stiles hands the blankets and pillow to Derek.

“Thanks,” Derek says.

“Don't mention it,” Stiles replies, keeping his eyes away from Derek. “Umm, I'm going to go brush my teeth and change into my pajamas.”

Stiles pulls his pajamas out of a drawer and heads back to the bathroom, making sure to keep the pajamas over his crotch to hide his growing hard-on. He closes the door to the bathroom and stares into the mirror, mouthing _'Oh my god'_ to himself.

He frantically brushes his teeth and tries to think unsexy thoughts, anything to get his mind off of Derek in his underwear. He contemplates taking a cold shower or even jerking off, because there's no way Derek wont notice the huge tent in his pajama pants when he walks back into the room.

Eventually he manages to calm down enough that his boner isn't as noticeable. He walks back into his room, once again strategically holding his clothes over his crotch. To his dismay, Derek seems to have decided to forgo the blanket, and is lying on the floor with his muscular legs crossed. He has his hands behind his head on the pillow and is staring at the ceiling.

“So, um, good night,” Stiles says and hastily turns off the light. He takes off his glasses and goes to his bed. The rain outside seems to have gotten heavier and under normal circumstances the sound would lull Stiles to sleep., but he's too excited and can't stop thinking about the day's events. He also can't stop thinking about Derek being half-naked just a few feet away from him. He feels slightly guilty, because Derek's let him into his world and Stiles truly appreciates it and he doesn't want to belittle their friendship by continually treating Derek like an object to lust over. It's also sort of pointless, because he figures Derek would never be interested in him when he could have anyone he wants.

Still, Stiles wonders what would happen if he went to Derek now. What would happen if he got on the floor with him and slid his hand underneath Derek's shirt, running it across his abs, tracing a line along the trail of hair below Derek's navel. What would happen if he decided to be even bolder and straddled him, running hot kisses up his neck until their mouths met. He can picture Derek sliding his hands down his pajamas and cupping his ass.

Stiles slides his hand down his pajamas and starts to stroke himself. He does so quietly, so Derek doesn't hear.

“Stiles – you okay?” Derek says in the dark.

Stiles stops immediately. His hand shoots out of his pants with lighting speed. He goes hot and feels like he's blushing from head to toe. “What?”

“You're breathing really fast. Are you okay?”

“Uh, yeah, everything is- I'm fine. I guess I'm still recovering from earlier. And I'm not really sleepy.”

“Me neither.”

They lay in silence for a while before Stiles speaks again. “So I know this whole evil Alpha pack thing is probably taking up a lot of your time, but if you're free tomorrow, I'm driving Scott and Isaac down to the lake after school. There's also supposed to be a meteor shower, which should be pretty awesome. Maybe you'd like to come with us? Hopefully we wont get any rain.”

“Sure. I was going to go to Jackson's party Friday night but something tells me I'm not invited anymore.”

“Err, sorry about that. I guess I ruined your friendship with all the football guys with my little outburst in the cafeteria. I try not to let Jackson get to me but...”

“Jackson's an asshole.”

Stiles laughs. “I thought you guys were friends.”

Derek goes quiet for a while and Stiles thinks maybe he fell asleep. The rain outside shows no sign of slowing down and a couple of lightning flashes light up the room. The wind makes singing, howling noises.

Stiles closes his eyes. He runs his hands up and down his neck, feeling the smooth skin where Aiden's claw marks used to be. He wonders if Derek had to touch him to heal him.

When Derek speaks again his voice is quieter and even a little sad. “I think I try to hard to fit in. I'm just...I'm not used to this kind of attention from people. Everything's changed.”

“How?”

“People aren't afraid of me. They actually want to talk to me. And I thought I would take advantage of it, I thought maybe being friends with Jackson and those guys would make me feel normal.” Derek sighs. “But it was just the opposite. The way they treat people...it made me feel like even more of a monster.”

Stiles starts to get a lump in his throat hearing Derek confess this to him. “Derek...” Stiles swallows, trying to find the right words.

“You don't have to say anything, Stiles. Just forget it.”

“You're not a monster.”

“Forget it. Just, forget I said anything.”

Stiles drops it because he doesn't want to make Derek upset, but stays awake that night long after Derek starts to snore and mulls over his words.


	13. Chapter 13

The next morning Stiles sneaks out of the apartment with Derek early because Derek wants to shower and change clothes before they drive to school. Stiles is curious to see where Derek lives, and he's also curious to see Peter. Stiles still thinks of him as kind of a mystery. He still vividly remembers the fight Peter had with Chris Argent on Halloween night and wonders about their relationship. He wants to ask Derek, but he has to wait for the right time.

Stiles is surprised when Derek's apartment turns out to be downtown, in one of the more expensive districts in Beacon Hills. The building is sleekly designed and there's even a large gym and a pool on the first floor. He figures Peter must be loaded as they take the elevator up to the sixth floor.

The apartment itself is large but mostly empty, except for a couch, a large TV and a few other pieces of furniture. There are large studio windows with an amazing view of the city and surrounding wilderness. There is also a single framed family photo on the wall of the Hales standing in front of their home. Stiles sees a small, skinny toddler, no older than three years old, wearing a baseball cap and sitting on the grass with his legs crossed and immediately knows it's Derek. The eyes give it away.

“I'm just going to take a shower and then we can leave. If you need to use the bathroom there's another one down the hall and to the left. There's food in the fridge if you're hungry,” Derek says.

“Dude, what kind of work does your uncle do again? The rent for this place must be insane.” Stiles replies, sitting down on the couch.

“Peter doesn't live here.”

“What?”

Derek shrugs. “He still lives in New York. He didn't want me to move back here, but I'm eighteen now, so there's really nothing he can do.”

Stiles looks at him, shocked. “You live here by yourself? But how can you afford this place?”

“My mom left me a large inheritance. It's only temporary. I'd like to find a house.”

“Wow, cool. Although I can't really believe you'd give up living in New York to move to Beacon Hills.”

“I guess I missed it here,” Derek says and walks away toward what Stiles guesses is his bedroom. After a few seconds, he hears the sound of the shower running.

Stiles looks around the room and sighs contently. He feels at peace when he's with Derek, like nothing could ever happen to him, which is odd considering there's a pack of killer werewolves on their trail. But for all he knows Derek just seems him as a half-competent sidekick or even an annoying little brother and maybe he's making too much of this situation. Maybe Derek will even go right back to ignoring him in school today.

Still, he can't deny the warm sensation coursing through his body as he leans his head back on Derek's couch. Before he knows it he's asleep, dreaming about the dark ocean again.

He's awakened by Derek's voice. “Stiles?”

Stiles groggily opens his eyes and sees Derek wearing a very low-cut gray v-neck and dark blue jeans with a gym bag slung over his shoulder. He's holding a protein shake in one hand and a bagel in the other. “You ready to go?”

-

“Oh, my baby, you're okay,” Stiles says, planting kisses on his Jeep.

“I think the inside got wet from the rain,” Derek says.

Stiles takes a peek inside and, sure enough, the inside is soaked. He forgot to close the windows all the way and the storm last night was heavy enough to do some minor damage to the interior. He opens the door and water pours out on to the ground, wetting his shoes and Derek's.

Stiles looks over at Derek apologetically. “Sorry!” He then looks around inside and finds the hoodie he was planning to wear since the weather is still cold, but it's also been soaked. He holds it up and it drips water on the ground. “Well, so much for staying warm today.” He tosses it back inside the Jeep.

Derek reaches into his gym bag and pulls out his varsity jacket. It's maroon colored with the letters BH embroidered on the left side, and _Hale_ in cursive on the right. The back of the jacket has the team's mascot on it, a snarling goblin holding a football.

He hands it to Stiles. “Here.”

“Uh-” Stiles blushes, “dude, are you sure?”

“I don't need it.”

“Well- thanks.” Stiles takes it and puts it on. It's a little big for him, but not by much. He figures it probably fits Derek a little tight. “This is weird. I never thought I'd wear one of these in a million years.”

Stiles notices something. People are staring at them. The school is already packed and while most of the students are walking toward their classes or talking to their friends, some of them are definitely staring at Stiles and Derek.

“So is it me or are people looking at us?”

Derek looks around. “We'd better go to class.”

“Yeah, that's probably a good idea.”

“See you in Ms. Blake's class.” Derek walks away, leaving Stiles feeling slightly deflated.

Stiles takes one last look inside his Jeep and shuts the door.

He walks toward the school's main building, where the student council is putting the finishing touches on the Halloween decorations. This year's theme for the Beacon Hills Halloween celebration is Alien Invasion, so there's a large plastic UFO being hoisted up to the top. There's also green aliens and giant eyeballs being placed on the lawn.

Lydia is, as usual, in charge. She has a megaphone and is giving the other students very specific directions. Stiles thinks she was born to be the school's president, or even just _the_ President. He waves to her as he walks by.

“Stiles! Wait!” She runs toward him in what Stiles guesses are probably six inch heels.

“Hey Lydia.”

“Hey. So, I know you're probably super busy building cyborgs and being the next Stephen Hawking or whatever but I wanted to ask you a favor. We want to install strobe lights in the auditorium for the Halloween dance next week but we're not sure how - oh my god is that Derek Hale's jacket you're wearing?”

“Uh...”

Lydia looks at him, shocked. “It is. Oh my god.”

“Lydia, listen, it's not what you think.”

She shakes her head. “You are full of surprises.”

“We're not...”

“Is he a good kisser?” She bites her bottom lip.

_Yeah, he is_ , Stiles thinks to himself. “There's nothing going on between us. We're just friends,” he says.

Lydia silently looks Stiles over suspiciously. “Sure. Anyway, you think you can help us out?”

Before Stiles knows it, Aiden comes up next to Lydia and puts his arm around her. He kisses her on the cheek. Stiles forgot that they were even dating. “Help you with what?”

“I was just asking Stiles if he could help install some strobe lights for the dance. I want it to look futuristic, you know? Like a spaceship.”

“Yeah, sure. Just umm, just let me know when,” Stiles replies, looking over at Aiden who shows no signs of being burned or hurt the night before.

“That's why I like you Stiles, you're always helping out,” Aiden says with a smug grin. 

He turns to place kisses on Lydia's neck but she quickly places her hand on his face and pushes him away. “Aiden, please, I'm working.” She turns to Stiles. “We're setting everything up next Monday after school so I'll see you then?”

Stiles nods. “Yeah. Sure.”

Suddenly there's a large crashing sound behind them as the UFO that was being hoisted up lands on the floor and breaks. Lydia turns around and furiously walks toward it, yelling into her megaphone. “Greenberg! I told you to double knot the rope! This isn't Roswell!”

Stiles and Aiden stare at each other in silence for a moment before Aiden speaks. “I'm trying to help you, you know.”

“By almost choking me to death? Wow, thanks.”

“I'm only following orders.”

“What do you want from me?”

“The key to the Beacon. We know Derek has it. If you could just take it and give it to me, I'll make sure nothing happens to you.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.” 

Stiles tries to walk away but Aiden grabs him by the arm. His grip is tight enough that it hurts. He gets close enough that Stiles can feel his breath on his skin. “Don't be an idiot. I'm trying to help you, Stiles.”

“I told you I don't know where you're stupid key is.”

Aiden lets go. “Then maybe you should start looking for it.”

He walks away and Stiles rubs his arm where Aiden was gripping it. He thinks about finding Derek and telling him what just happened, but the morning bell rings before he gets a chance.

-

During lunch Stiles, Scott and Isaac sit together in a grassy field behind the cafeteria and flip through the latest edition of the Guinness Book of World Records. Scott has decided that he'd like to break a record and Stiles thinks it's his wacky way of trying to impress Isaac, because it's just like Scott to make a spontaneously weird romantic gesture instead of simply telling the guy that he likes him.

“What's the record for the most push-ups? I need something I can actually do,” Scott asks.

Stiles flips to the glossary and then finds the appropriate page. “The record for the most push-ups is held by Minoru Yoshida of Japan, at ten-thousand five-hundred and seven.”

Scott looks at Stiles, shocked. Isaac and Stiles both laugh.

“Let me see that,” Scott says and grabs the book from Stiles. “Maybe I can do one of the food records.” He flips through the book with a serious and determined expression on his face.

“Hey Stiles, who's Hale?” Isaac asks out of the blue.

“What?”

“Your jacket. It says Hale.”

Scott looks up and smiles. Stiles sort of thinks it makes Scott look like a very pleased puppy. “Derek Hale is Stiles' one true love.”

Stiles grabs a fistful of grass and throws it at Scott.”Shut up.” He can't help smiling, though.

“He's your boyfriend?” Isaac asks sincerely.

“He's just a friend.” Stiles answers.

“...For now,” Scott adds. “Derek was Stiles' first kiss a long time ago. And then he sort of disappeared.” Scott closes the book, it's clear his attention is elsewhere now. “But he came back this year and they've been hanging out again. It's totally like a movie.”

Stiles rolls his eyes. “It's not like a movie. Nothing is going to happen between us.”

“Why not?” Isaac asks.

Scott looks at Isaac and shakes his head. A couple of blades of grass fall from his hair. “Stiles always does this.” He turns back to Stiles. “Dude, he gave you his jacket.”

Stiles shrugs. “I was cold.”

Isaac reaches out and picks off the grass from Scott's hair. “I think it's romantic, personally.”

Scott blushes and smiles to himself, opening up the book again, desperately trying not to make it obvious he loves Isaac's attention.

“I mean,” Isaac continues, “What if he came back for you?”

Stiles closes his eyes and puts his hands on his head, frustrated. “Can we please talk about something else?” 

-  
When Stiles walks into Ms. Blake's class, Derek is already at his desk. Stiles quickly plops down next to him. “So I ran into one of your wolfy friends.”

Derek looks at him, eyes wide. “What?”

“Yeah, apparently that pummeling you gave Aiden wasn't enough to keep him from coming to school today.”

“What did he say?”

“He was rambling something about a key and a beacon. Same thing he was looking for last night. Are you going to tell me what it's all about?”

Derek looks toward the front of the class. “No.”

“But I thought we agreed I would help you. I can't help if I don't know what the problem is.”

“You just have to trust me on this, Stiles. I can't tell you about it. Not yet.”

Stiles sighs. “Okay. But you're still coming to the lake with us, right? We're gonna roast marshmallows...” Stiles goofily lowers and raises his eyebrows while smiling, trying to entice Derek.

The corners of Derek's mouth turn up slightly. Stiles loves it when he can see cracks in Derek's serious veneer. 

“I know you and Scott have football practice till four. I'm going to make a grocery store run with Isaac to buy some stuff and by the time we're back you guys will probably be done. So we'll meet you in the parking lot.”

Derek nods. “Okay.”

Stiles can't wait for school to be over.

-  
Stiles thinks Isaac is sort of perfect for Scott. He's earnest and nerdy in a way that makes him equally dorky and charming. Scott is the same way, albeit a little more hyperactive.

Apparently Isaac doesn't do well with grocery lists, though. He's standing in the middle of the isle at the Quick 'n' Save staring at Stiles' list like he's decoding an ancient language. “So when you say 'chips' you mean, like, crisps right?”

“Yeah, maybe grab a couple of bags?” Stiles says, while placing a jug of water in the shopping cart.

Isaac looks toward the shelf with the potato chips. “There's like a thousand flavors.”

“Surprise me! But no onions please, Scott and I are both allergic.”

Isaac grabs two bags and places them in the cart as they continue down the isle.

A little old woman approaches Isaac. “Excuse me, could you please help me reach that box of saltines there?” She points toward the top of the shelf.

“Sure.” Isaac reaches for the box and hands it to the woman. He smiles at her. “Here you go.”

“My, what a lovely accent. Where are you from?”

“Oh, I'm from London.”

“I knew a boy from London once. He wasn't as tall or handsome as you, though. I suppose not many people are.”

Stiles smiles to himself as the old woman thanks Isaac and they continue shopping.

“So do you get hit on by a lot of octogenarians?” Stiles jokingly asks.

“I do, actually,” Isaac answers, playing along, “I think that they find me nonthreatening on account of my boyish looks and natural wussiness.”

Stiles laughs. Isaac is definitely perfect for Scott.

Stiles is in the middle of the canned food isle when he decides to try and do something to help Scott out with Isaac. After all, at the rate Scott is going he'll probably break his leg doing some crazy stunt before telling Isaac how he feels. Although Stiles feels a bit like a hypocrite thinking about it, because the idea of telling Derek how he really feels...

“So you and Scott have been hanging out a lot.”

Isaac looks over at Stiles and raises his eyebrow. “Yeah?”

“Well the only reason I know is because he talks about you all the time.”

“Really?”

“Yup,” Stiles tries to say it as nonchalantly as possible as he grabs a roll of paper towels and throws it in the cart.

“I like him a lot.”

Stiles looks at Isaac. That was easier than he thought.

Isaac sighs. “I just don't think...I feel like every time I give him an opening he doesn't take it. Like the other day when we were talking before school and I told him I was trying a new mouthwash to make sure my breath was extra fresh in case someone wanted to kiss me, he told me he wished they'd make mouthwash that tastes like Pop Tarts.”

Stiles laughs. “I think you have to be a little more obvious with Scott, you know? He hasn't had a lot of experience with guys. Not that I'm one to talk about experience...”

“When I first met you two, I thought you were dating. I mean you guys are all over each other all the time. And also Jackson called you two boyfriends...”

“Wow, that is disturbing on so many levels. Scott's like my brother.”

“Well, I know that now.”

“Just talk to him. Tell him how you feel.”

Isaac smiles and rolls his eyes. “Okay, Cupid.”


	14. Chapter 14

The hike to Lake Kruger takes around forty-five minutes through the forest. The trail is not particularly strenuous but it can be dangerous to people who are unfamiliar with it because it diverges so many times that it's easy to get lost. Stiles and Scott have been going to the lake for years, though, so they're practically tour guides.

Stiles filled a large backpack with food and supplies, which he carries for about fifteen minutes before Derek volunteers to take it, slinging it around his shoulder like it weighs nothing.

Scott and Isaac are walking ahead and talking, with Scott carrying Stiles' telescope and Isaac stopping every few minutes to take a photo with his camera. Scott names off plants as they walk, making sure to point out which ones are edible “just in case.”

“I haven't been to the lake in ages,” Derek says. The evening sun is casting an orange glow on him.

Stiles sighs happily. “I love it there. It's peaceful.”

“I used to go there when I was a little kid, before I met you. I wanted to build a treehouse but I never finished it.”

Stiles look over at Derek and smiles tenderly. “You still have time.”

Eventually they reach the lake. It's surrounded by barren trees and empty except for a few white cranes that fly away as the boys approach.

“It's so much bigger than I imagined,” Isaac says.

The boys stare at the water for a few moments. It's so still it looks like a mirror.

“It'll be dark in a couple of hours. Derek and I will go look for some firewood and maybe you guys can set everything up?” Stiles suggest, trying not to sound too obvious about wanting to leave Scott and Isaac alone.

“Okay!” Scott and Isaac reply in unison.

Stiles and Derek go off to find wood while Scott and Isaac unzip the bag and pull stuff out.

Stiles takes his time picking up birch twigs. Derek helps him for a while before disappearing into the thick of the forest. He returns a few minutes later with several thick logs under his arm.

Stiles stares at him. “Okay, I'm not even going to ask how you cut those without an ax.”

“Is this enough?”

“That depends. Is the log cabin we're building going to be one-story or two?” Stiles answers sarcastically.

They manage to gather the wood in less than fifteen minutes, so Stiles sits down on a tree trunk. “Maybe we should wait a little before we go back. Let's give the love birds some alone time.”

“Sure,” Derek replies. He takes a seat next to Stiles on the trunk.

They sit in silence listening to birds chirping and the wind blowing through the trees.

Derek looks over at Stiles and breaks the silence, “Isaac's a werewolf.”

Stiles looks back at him, shocked. “What?”

“I don't think he's been one for long. He can't hide his powers very well, but I guess it's not something an average person would pick up on.”

“So you have like gaydar but for werewolves?”

“Something like that. I can tell that he has heightened senses and sometimes his eyes change colors slightly. He doesn't know how to control it completely yet.”

Stiles shakes his head. “I can't believe it. He seems so harmless.”

“Werewolves aren't dangerous, in general.”

“Right. Sorry...I didn't mean it that way. It's just, you-” Stiles stumbles trying to find the words, “You're so- I just meant-”

“Stiles, I know what you meant. It's okay.”

Stiles feels bad about inadvertently implying all werewolves are dangerous so he tries to take it in the other direction. “Yeah come to think of it you're harmless, too.” He shoves Derek. “I could definitely kick your ass.”

Derek raises his eyebrows, amused. “Really?”

“Yeah. You hide behind those muscles but really you're like a very delicate fairy,” He shoves him again. “See, look!” He shoves him again and again. “You're not even fighting back!”

Derek laughs. He actually laughs and Stiles thinks it's the greatest thing he's ever heard.

Stiles continues. “What are you gonna do, huh?” He flicks Derek's forehead with his finger.

Derek looks at Stiles with mock seriousness. “I'll give you five seconds to run before I come after you. One..two...”

Stiles smiles and bolts out running. The forest around him becomes a blur as he sprints across it. He hears Derek coming up behind him after a few seconds and before he knows it he's caught up.

Stiles feels strong arms wrap around him from behind, swooping him up. Stiles can't stop laughing. He tries to get away but Derek's grip is so strong that even Stiles' feet are slightly off the ground.

“Okay! Okay! I give up!” He says in between laughs, “I give up!”

Derek puts him down but lingers. His arms are still wrapped around Stiles' waist, but his grip is more gentle. Stiles tries to catch his breath and sweat trickles down his forehead. “You don't play fair, Derek,” he says, and it comes out more seriously than he intends.

“No?” Derek says softly, right next to Stiles' ear, so close that it gives Stiles goosebumps.

Stiles is struggling to find the words again.

There's a scream in the distance and Derek lets go immediately.

“That sounded like Scott,” Stiles says and takes off toward the direction of the lake. Derek sprints ahead of Stiles. He's obviously concerned for Scott, too.

When Stiles gets to the lake, Scott and Isaac are in the water with their shirts off, laughing loudly as they wade through.

“Stiles! Look! I'm in the water! Isn't it crazy?”

“Oh my god,” Stiles says, relieved. He feels his anxiety dying down. “You scared us dude! We heard you yelling!”

“I stepped on a weird scaly thing and I thought it was a croc!” Scott replies.

Derek looks over at Stiles, confused.

“Scott has a crocodile phobia so he's never actually been in the lake. Well, until now,” Stiles explains.

“There aren't any crocodiles in California,” Derek says.

“Yeah, well, you try telling him that,” Stiles says before turning back to Scott. “You're doing it man! No fear!”

-

After the sun goes down, the boys wait around for the meteor shower. The night sky is cloudless, giving them a good view of the stars. Isaac and Scott are lying side-by-side on a blanket, while Stiles sits across from them and Derek stands near the lake, staring at the water.

Scott is naming off the constellations and pointing toward their direction. Isaac is slowly inching his hand towards Scott's. It's so subtle that Scott doesn't even notice until their fingers finally meet. Scott looks over at Isaac and smiles, their fingers intertwining. Stiles feels an incredible surge of happiness.

He figures he should give them time alone since he's starting to feel a bit like a voyeur, so he stands up to join Derek.

The stars and moon are being reflected on the water's surface so that when Stiles looks at it, it looks like the sky is below him. It's disorienting in a way, like being turned upside down.

Stiles notices Derek's eyes are glazed over and he has a serious expression on his face, like he's lost in thought.

“You look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders,” Stiles says.

“I'm just thinking.”

“About what?”

“About this bedtime story my mom used to tell me,” Derek takes a deep breath, “it was about a little girl who risked her life to save a rabbit from being killed by a bear, and in return the rabbit granted her a wish.”

“What did she wish for?”

“She told the rabbit she wanted to be a star in the sky. So he made her wish come true. But her parents didn't know, so they though she was lost. They searched for her for days not realizing she was looking down at them the whole time.”

Stiles thinks about it for a second, “That's actually really depressing.”

Derek shakes his head, staring at the water like he's trying to find something in it, “I think it's about feeling like you've lost something forever and not realizing all you have to do is look in the right place to find it.”

Derek turns to look directly at Stiles but Stiles can't bear to look back. Instead he turns to look at the water, trying to hide his emotions. He wants to believe that Derek has feelings for him. He thinks about the past couple of days, all the times Derek has gone out of his way for him and protected him and confided in him, all of the secrets they've shared. Every fleeting moment that Stiles has tucked away in his heart.

But he can't be sure. Not when there's a choir of voices in his head telling him that he isn't good enough for Derek. That it's just a fantasy and that he's making more of it than he should. He also thinks back to the pretty girl sitting on Derek's Camaro after school the day Derek took him to the graveyard. Maybe Derek belongs with someone like her.

Stiles looks down at his shabby sneakers, which have become covered in mud throughout the day.

“Looks like your plan worked,” Derek says.

Stiles looks up. “What?”

Derek motions with his head toward where Isaac and Scott are laying.

Isaac is cupping Scott's face with his hand as they kiss. Scott has his arms around Isaac, pulling him close and gripping his shirt like Isaac might slip away if he doesn't hold on hard enough.

Stiles wonders what that feels like.

Out of the corner of his eye Stiles sees a streak of light cut across the lake. He turns to look and sees more. “Look! The meteor shower’s starting!”

He walks over to his telescope and looks in the viewfinder. Brilliant streaks of light race across his view. He didn't expect to see so many of them, especially not when the moon is out too. Usually meteor showers are much tamer, with a few streaks an hour.

“Hey Derek, take a look!”

Derek walks over to the telescope and looks through it.

“Hey, umm, Scott? Isaac? I don't want to interrupt but you're missing the meteors. There's so many of them!”

Isaac and Scott break apart. They both look up to the night sky.

“Whoa...” Scott says.

Isaac looks astonished, “I've never seen anything like this.”

Derek is now looking directly at the sky as even more meteors become visible.

“Hey Derek,” Stiles says, “Maybe it's the girl from your story falling back down to Earth.”

-

After the excitement dies down, the boys pack up and start the walk back through the woods. Stiles and Derek lead the way with flashlights, while Isaac and Scott follow behind holding hands. Stiles is pretty sure he could find his way back to the Jeep blind folded, so walking through the forest at night doesn't scare him.

Until he points his flashlight at a human skull lying in the middle of the dirt trail.

He halts abruptly and puts his hand on Derek's chest to stop him from walking. “Derek...”

Derek looks to where Stiles is pointing his light.

“What's up? Why'd we stop?” Scott asks.

A shadow moves between the trees to their right. It takes loud footsteps, the sound of cracking twigs and crunching leaves underneath them. It's moving fast.

Derek points his flashlight in the direction of the shadow. They manage to catch a glimpse of dark gray fur but it jolts across their line of vision before they can get a good look. Whatever it is, it's huge.

Derek stands closer to Stiles, trying to shield him.

“What the fuck is that!?” Scott yells.

Isaac looks around nervously. “A mountain lion...?”

“You three get back to the car,” Derek says. 

Stiles hesitates. Part of him wants to run because he's afraid, but another part of him doesn't want to leave Derek alone.

“Go!” Derek yells. He tosses his flashlight to Isaac.

Before they can move, the creature pounces on Scott, tossing him to the floor. Stiles can finally see what it is: a large gray wolf, at least four times bigger than any he's ever seen.

It has Scott pinned to the floor with it's giant paws. Scott looks to be unconscious.

“No!” Stiles yells out.

The wolf growls at Stiles, baring it's teeth.

Stiles doesn't see Derek shift because it happens so fast.

He doesn't know exactly what he was expecting to see when he finally saw Derek's chimera form, but it's definitely not what he's seeing in front of him now.

Derek's grown to maybe eight feet tall, and his body is covered in brown fur, with a patch of white on his torso. His arms are covered in what look like lizard scales. His clothes are a tattered mess on the floor, having been ripped apart by bulging muscles. His face is that of a wolf, but his eyes are reptilian.

Stiles steps back as Derek growls at the wolf. He knows he shouldn’t be scared of him. It's just Derek, after all. But he's an intimidating presence like this. 

Stiles hears Isaac's flashlight drop and turns to notice that he's transformed, too. His shape is much meeker than Derek's. He is still recognizable as Isaac, but with pointed ears, yellow eyes, claws, and fur around his face.

Stiles is breathing so fast that he feels like he might pass out.

“If you come any closer, I'll kill him,” the wolf says. Except his mouth doesn't move. Stiles wonders if he's speaking telepathically and why the voice sounds familiar.

“Please,” Stiles pleads, “Let him go. Whatever you want, he doesn't have it. Please...”

“He doesn't have it...” The wolf turns his head towards Derek, “but you do, don't you?”

“Let him go, Ennis,” Derek says and Stiles realizes why the voice sounds familiar.

“What's it going to take, Derek? What's it going to take for you to give us what we want? Are we going to have to start killing the people you care about, one by one?” He looks over at Stiles, “Or maybe just him.”

“Haven't you killed enough people already?”

Ennis laughs and it sends a shiver down Stiles' spine.

“And what if I give you the key? Do you know what will happen if Duke activates the beacon? You have no idea how much destruction it'll cause,” Derek says, sounding angrier.

“I don't care.”

It seems like it takes Derek less than a second to pounce on Ennis. He moves so fast that Ennis doesn't even get a chance to defend himself before Derek has the wolf on the ground.

Ennis yells out as Derek holds him down. Stiles thinks it's unbelievable that Derek could be so strong and fast.

“You know why you don't care?” Derek gets up close to the wolf's face, “Because every time you kill someone you lose a piece of yourself. And if you lose too much, do you know what happens?” The wolf snarls and Derek, drool spilling from his mouth and onto the ground, “You'll stop being human altogether. You wont be able to revert back to what you were. You'll be an animal until you die.”

“You're lying!” Ennis argues back.

Isaac grabs Scott and throws him over his shoulder. “Let's go, Stiles.”

“No, you go. Follow the trail. Make a left at the first fork and a right at the second,” Stiles reaches into his pocket for his keys and tosses them to Isaac, “Get him somewhere safe.”

“You can't stay here!” Isaac pleads.

“Go!”

Isaac hesitates but eventually dashes off down the trail with Scott over his shoulder.

Ennis is still being held down by Derek. He's foaming at the mouth and his eyes are filled with rage. “Let me go!” He yells so loudly that it makes Stiles' head hurt.

Derek raises his fist and brings it down on the wolf's head. Ennis is knocked unconscious immediately.

Derek stands up. Stiles sees him change back to human form in front of him.

He's naked, and Stiles can see every single part of him that he's been obsessing over for the past few days. It's a strange time to think it, but Stiles wonders how Derek can be so truly, wholly beautiful. It's unfair.

“We have to get out of here before he wakes up,” Derek says.

“Yeah, Isaac is already on his way back with Scott. I think we can catch up to them if we-”

“Wait,” Derek says abruptly and looks around like he's sensed something, “I think I hear something coming toward us.”

“Umm, tell me again why that's not more reason for us to get the hell out of here?” Stiles says, looking around and trying to remain calm.

Derek walks closer to Stiles and talks quietly, “If we go down the trail, we'll lead it right to Scott and Isaac.”

Stiles realizes he's right. He knows Derek can probably take down whatever horrible thing is lurking toward them in the dark, but Isaac and Scott would be helpless. “Then what do we do?”

Stiles is caught off guard when Derek shifts again in front of him. This time he turns into a big wolf like Ennis, except brown instead of gray.

The wolf looks up at Stiles with the same reptilian eyes as the chimera, “I have a plan. Get on my back,” he says, without moving his mouth.

“Uh...”

“Now Stiles!”

Stiles does as he's told, jumping on to Derek's back. He grabs on and braces himself. Except Derek doesn't move. “Umm Derek, shouldn't we be going?”

“Wait. I need them to be closer so I can makes sure they're following us.”

Stiles feels a trickle of sweat come down his forehead as he sits on the wolf's back in anticipation. He's trying his best to control his breathing. He really wishes Derek's plan wasn't so dangerous.

There's a faint sound of a twig breaking in the distance and it's enough to make Derek take off running. Stiles doesn't dare look back, but he also can't look forward because the wind blowing onto his face is too strong, so he closes his eyes. He feels the forest speeding by around him. Derek is moving so fast that Stiles wonders how he doesn't lose his footing.

They're on the run for several minutes before Derek slows down. Stiles opens his eyes and sees they're in a clearing.

There's a house ahead of them. Half of it is completely burned to the ground.

It's Derek's house, or at least it was.

“We can rest in here until it catches up to us,” Derek says, out of breath.

“How much time do you think we have?”

The wolf turns to look into the woods. “I don't know. A few minutes, maybe.”

The door to the house is overgrown with vines. The wood is rotting and has holes in it like termites have been feasting there. Stiles turns the knob slowly and walks inside. Derek, still in wolf form, follows closely behind.

When they get inside they're in a bright white room. It's a hospital room, and there's a frail woman lying on a bed hooked up to an IV. She has no hair and her skin is so pale it's almost translucent.

“I don't remember this,” Derek says.

Stiles shakes his head, the tears already flowing. “No. This is my memory.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a slow burn, but stay tuned. It'll be worth it, I promise. :) Going to try and post the next chapter tomorrow!


	15. Chapter 15

A little boy, Stiles at nine years old, shyly opens the door and walks into the room.

“Hi mommy.”

Claudia turns to look at him and beams. “Stiles! Come here little prince!”

He walks up to her and gives her a hug. He holds on for a long time and she rubs his back.

Stiles feels strange watching himself. He can't even begin thinking about how this is all possible because his heart feels like it's going to explode. He looks over at Derek who is quietly sitting in the corner of the room. It's strange to see a big brown wolf in a sterile hospital environment. It feels like a dream.

“Why don't you pull up a chair and tell me about your day?”

Stiles does as he's told. The chair is across the room and quite big, so he has to forcefully pull it with both arms to place it beside Claudia's bed.

He sits down. Claudia grabs his hand, “So what adventures have you been up to?”

Stiles puts his head down, “I messed up again today.”

“What happened?”

“Ms. Morris picked me to solve a math problem on the chalkboard during class. And I started drawing a diagram so I could figure it out faster...but all the kids started laughing at me. They said I was just drawing squiggles and that I didn't know what I was doing. But I did know! I did!”

“Shh, honey, it's okay. They just don't understand that you have a different way of seeing things.”

“And during recess, Jimmy Gable told me I was weird and that I smell.”

“What's so bad about being weird?”

Stiles sighs angrily, “Everything.”

Claudia smiles. She grabs Stiles by the chin and tilts his head up, “Stiles, I want you to promise me something and I want you to keep this promise even when I'm gone.”

Stiles nods as he starts to cry. He remembers how he hated hearing her talk about being gone. He hated having to imagine her not being there like she always had been.

“Never be anybody but yourself. Even when you feel lonely, even when other people try to make you feel bad...” Her voice breaks and she pauses for a second, “You're so special Stiles, one day you'll see it.”

“Okay,” Stiles replies sadly, not fully understanding the words. He wipes the tears from his eyes, “But am I always going to feel like this? I feel sad, mom.”

“No, not always. You can't escape sadness, it's something that everyone feels sometimes. It's unavoidable, like catching a cold. But I promise you that things will get better. One day you'll meet people who see you for who you really are. One day you'll have so much love in your life you wont know what to do with it!”

She was right, of course. Stiles would meet Scott shortly after. And when he thinks about it, he knows he also has Lydia and Erica and Isaac.

And Derek.

She goofily lowers and raises her eyebrows while smiling, “And one day you'll meet a girl...”

“A boy.”

Claudia looks at Stiles, “What?”

Stiles looks down and shrugs, “I think I like boys.”

“A boy, then,” she grips his hand tighter, “A boy who will fall in love with you and-”

A sudden, loud crashing sound jolts Stiles right back to the present. The noise leaves his head ringing and his vision blurry, so he only barely manages to catch a glimpse of another wolf, black this time, pouncing on Derek.

When his vision comes back a few moments later, he sees that it's a girl wolf this time. Her body is more streamlined and slimmer. Her paws have unusually long, sharp claws. She's almost elegant. 

She broken through one of the windows in the house, which explains the loud noise.

She tussles with Derek and this time it's more of a fight than with Ennis. In fact, it seems as though she's winning. She bites Derek on the throat and he has a hard time shaking her off. Stiles doesn't know if it's because Derek is tired or if he's just weaker as a wolf than as a chimera.

"I'll kill you for what you did to Ennis!" she yells. Her voice sounds young, like that of a teenager, but Stiles doesn't recognize it.

Derek continues to struggle with her, and she slashes him several times. The gashes bleed out and some of the blood lands on Stiles. He's shaken by it, but he knows if he doesn't act quick Derek could be in real trouble.

Stiles grabs a fragment of wood with a pointy end from the broken window and lunges at her, stabbing her in the back. She shrieks and Stiles feels like the entire house shakes.

She turns around to face him. Derek is lying motionless on the floor behind her.

"You..." she says. 

She slowly walks toward him. "Do you know how easy it would be for me to kill you?"

"Probably very easy..." Stiles answers nervously, "But then Derek will never give you what you want."

She shakes her head, "I don't care."

"But Duke cares, right? I mean that's why, that's why-"

"I don't care," she repeats.

Stiles sees Derek shift into chimera form behind her silently.

“What’s your name?” he asks her, trying to buy some time. His whole body is shaking.

She laughs. “Humans are so pathetic.”

Before Stiles can reply Derek lunges at her from behind, clawing at her side with one giant arm. She flies across the room and hits a wall. The wall breaks and she goes through it. 

When the dust clears, she’s lying on the ground, but she isn't a wolf anymore. She's a strikingly beautiful girl, with cinnamon skin and long black hair. Stiles recognizes her as Kali. He's never actually spoken to her, but he knows she's a senior and the captain of the soccer team at BHHS.

She's bleeding out from her side where Derek clawed her.

“Is she dead?” Stiles asks.

Derek, still in chimera form, doesn’t answer. He walks toward her and places his hand on her wounds. Stiles watches in amazement as they close and heal. He walks behind Derek to get a closer look.

Kali opens her eyes with none of the rage she had a few moments ago. Stiles can see pain in her eyes, sadness even. “You should have let me die,” she says.

“I'm not a killer,” Derek answers.

She looks at him for a while before speaking again, “This was your house, wasn't it?”

“Yeah. A long time ago.”

She looks over at Stiles, “Sorry I almost killed you. I can't control my anger as a wolf. I've never been able to. And now...now it's so much worse.”

Stiles feels sorry for her. “Uh, yeah, apology accepted. Sorry for uh, for stabbing you with a glass shard.” He reaches out to give her his hand and she takes it. He helps her stand up.

Derek turns back into human form. Stiles feels slightly self-conscious standing next to them both, as they are both ridiculously fit. And naked.

“I can't be cured of this, can I?” she asks Derek.

Derek shakes head, “No.”

“Duke never told me I would feel like this,” she runs her fingers through her hair and sighs, “At first it was great. I had power and I felt like nothing could ever come in my way. But the things I've done...I wish I could take it all back. It changed me. It's changed all of us: Ennis, Ethan, Aiden, Cora-”

“Wait,” Derek says abruptly. “What was the last name you said?”

“Cora?”

If Stiles is feeling like he's about to faint with shock, he can only imagine how Derek is feeling.

Derek walks up to Kali and grabs her shoulders. He looks her dead in the eyes and she looks back, puzzled. “What does she look like?”

“She's- she's young, pretty. She has brown hair and brown eyes.”

“Does she have a surgical scar on the back of her neck?”

Kali looks surprised, “Yeah. How did you know that? She doesn't go to our school.”

Derek lets her go, “Forget it.”

He walks away and Stiles follows him, taking one last look back at Kali, standing alone in the dust.

Derek turns into a wolf and Stiles rides on his back through the woods. Stiles wants to say something, but he senses that talking is the last thing Derek wants to do right now. They are both silent all the way back to Derek's Camaro.

Derek's car keys are somewhere back at the trail with his torn clothes, so he has to break a window to get inside, where he has a spare. He also has a change of clothes.

They both get in the car and drive away.

-

Scott suffered only minor injuries and was released from the hospital in no time. They told their parents that it was an accident but Melissa and John informed them that they're still grounded for the weekend, which means Stiles can't see Derek. He figures Derek needs some time alone anyway and it's probably best for all of them to lay low for a couple of days.

Scott thinks he was attacked by a mountain lion and Stiles feels guilty not being able to tell him what really happened.

Stiles spends the weekend working on his robots to try and distract himself from the lingering anxiety he feels when he thinks about how much danger Derek is in. Still, he can't help thinking about what Kali said. Stiles doesn't really trust her completely and thinks maybe she's using Cora as bait, but there was something in her eyes that makes Stiles feel like there's something going on that he's unaware of, like a secret he hasn't been told.

-  
On Monday, Stiles doesn't see Derek until English class.

“Hey dude, how's it going? Where you been?” Stiles asks as he sits down next to Derek.

“I was late,” Derek answers, looking straight ahead.

“Oh, okay. Do you want to hang out after school? I have to help Lydia set up for the dance but after that I'm free.”

“I have football practice.”

“Yeah. Okay,” Stiles turns to look to the front of the class as the rest of the students file in. He doesn't know what's going on with Derek but he doesn't want to upset him so he doesn't try to talk to him again for the rest of the class. Stiles can't help but feel slightly hurt about being cast aside, though.

When the bell rings Derek walks out without even glancing at Stiles.  
-  
The fall dance is always held in the school gym and is usually fairly modest, but with Lydia Martin in charge this year, it's starting to look like a spectacle fit for a Broadway production. She has Stiles set up lights all around the perimeter of the building and by the time he's finished, he's absolutely exhausted.

He's sitting in the bleachers on the verge of falling asleep when he sees Lydia walking toward him with a Gatorade in her hand. She hands it to him, “Thanks Stilinski. It looks amazing.”

Stiles takes it and smiles at her, “You're amazing.”

She shrugs, “Well, I try.”

Stiles suddenly spots Jackson across the gym talking to a teacher.

“Hey, what's Jackson doing here?” Stiles asks.

Lydia makes a disgusted face, “Ugh, I guess he's in student council now? He asked his daddy to call the principal to force us to let him join. I just gave him some mundane tasks. You know, something suitable for someone with a lizard brain.”

Stiles laughs and takes a sip of the Gatorade.

Lydia turns to look at Stiles, “Did you know that Derek asked Allison to the dance today?”

Stiles feels his heart sink. He knew a moment like this would come, when his fantasies would be shattered. He takes another sip of his Gatorade and tries to hide how he's feeling inside, “Oh, I didn't know. That's cool.”

Lydia furrows her eyebrows, “Guys can be jerks.”

“Me and Derek are just friends, Lydia,” he says in what he hopes is a normal tone.

Lydia smiles at him sadly, “Okay.”

She pats him on the leg, “Anyway, I gotta go. Thanks again. You're a lifesaver. See you at the dance!”

Stiles is definitely not going to the dance.

-

All Stiles wants to do after getting home from school is go to his room and bury himself underneath his sheets. But when he gets home his dad reminds him that Scott and Melissa are coming over for dinner and they have to clean up the house, so he spends a good chunk of his evening doing chores and trying not to let his dad see the pain in his face.

He cheers up slightly when Melissa and Scott finally arrive.

“Look at this place! I could eat off the floors,” Melissa says as she walks in.

Stiles gives her a hug and she squeezes him tightly. She then turns to John and hugs him too.

Scott walks in with a small bandage on his forehead and a bruise on his chin. He hugs Stiles and Stiles almost loses it. They hold on tightly for a long time. Scott's hugs always make Stiles feel better but now he's afraid he'll start crying when they break away. He knows Scott probably heard about Derek and Allison, too.

“You okay?” Scott whispers.

“No,” Stiles replies honestly before forcing himself to break away from Scott's arms.

Scott looks like he wants to say something but John nearly tackles him with a hug before he can. “Scott! You're alive!”

Scott laughs and Stiles looks over at Melissa who is smiling from ear to ear.

They sit down to eat the pasta that John and Stiles made. Truthfully, it was more just Stiles cooking while John fiddled with his hair and tried on three different shirts. Everything is going fine and Stiles is even enjoying himself until the subject of the dance comes along.

“Well, Scott's going with Isaac. Oh my god I can't wait. I'm tempted to follow them in my car and sneak photos of them throughout the night,” Melissa says.

“Mom, no!” Scott says, mortified.

John laughs. “Who are you going with Stiles?”

Stiles moves the food around on his plate with his fork, “I'm not going.”

“Whaaaat!?” John says from across the table, “It's your last year in high school. You have to go!”

“I don't want to.”

“You can come with Isaac and me, Stiles. It'll be fun,” Scott says.

Stiles shakes his head, “It's okay.”

“I remember I missed the fall dance when I was a senior at BHHS and I didn’t think I would regret it as much as I did years later. It's one of the few times you get to get dressed up and have fun with your friends before you all go your separate ways for college,” Melissa says.

“Yeah Stiles, it's like prom for Beacon Hills. You can't miss it, son. Everyone will be there to-”

“Can we all just stop pretending that anyone at that school gives a shit about me?” Stiles almost yells. He gets up, walks to his room and slams the door. He locks it and throws himself on his bed.

He ignores the knocks on the door. They stop eventually and he's left alone with his tears. “You lied, mom.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for this chapter. I know it's sad. ; _ ;
> 
> But it's always darkest before the dawn. :)


	16. Chapter 16

The next morning Stiles wakes up and heads to the kitchen to get a bowl of cereal and is surprised to find his dad home. He's sitting on a stool drinking a cup of coffee.

“Why aren't you at work?”

“I wanted to see if you were okay. What was that last night?”

Stiles grabs a cereal box and pours himself a bowl, “I guess I kind of overreacted.”

“So are you going to tell me what's wrong?”

Stiles doesn't answer.

“Is it drugs?”

Stiles face palms, “No, dad, it's not drugs.”

“Then what is it? I'm worried about you.”

Stiles sighs, “Remember that guy we talked about before? The one I said was out of my league?”

John puts his cup down on the kitchen counter and crosses his arms, “Yeah?”

“Turns out I was right.”

“There's plenty of fish in the sea, son.”

“Not like him,” Stiles says silently.

“Okay then, what's so great about this guy?”

“He...” Stiles closes his eyes, “He doesn't see himself for what he really is. His family died when he was really young and he lost everything and he was left behind to pick up the pieces. So now he tries to fix everything but he doesn't have anyone to help him.”

“So, he's just like you.”

Stiles shakes his head, because he doesn't know how to respond to that, “I thought maybe I could be the one to help him or at least give him some hope. He confided in me and we got really close and there was a stupid, stupid part of my brain that thought that maybe there was something between us that was more than a friendship. But it turns out it was just a fantasy and now he's taking the prettiest girl in school to the dance and the last thing I want is to be there to see it.” Stiles leans on the counter and puts his head down, “It just...it hurts.”

John walks up to Stiles and puts his hand on his back. “It's okay. We've all been where you are right now. I know I have.”

Stiles nods, not really feeling any better. “I have to go get ready for school,” he says as he grabs his cereal bowl and walks away.

“One more thing Stiles,” his dad says sternly just as Stiles is heading into his room, “you're calling Melissa to apologize for how you acted.”

“Yeah, okay. I'll do it when I get home,” Stiles says and closes his door.

-

Stiles thinks about skipping school but he knows he can't avoid seeing Derek forever so he decides to just get it over with right away. When he pulls his Jeep into the parking lot he sees Derek's Camaro is already there but he doesn't see him around.

He gets out of the car and decides to just go to class early. He makes his way through the crowds in a hurry and unexpectedly crashes into someone just as he's about to reach his destination.

“Oh, sorry!” Stiles fumbles out.

“It's quite alright,” says a familiar voice.

“Hey! You're Deuc- Deucalion, right?”

“That's me. And you're...?”

“I'm Stiles. I helped you find the admin building the other day.”

“Right. Stiles. I thought I recognized the voice.”

“How's the research going?”

Deucalion smiles, “It's fascinating. You should come by the library sometime and I can show you what I've been working on. I'm there for a couple of hours after school everyday.”

“Yeah, that sounds great, thanks. I'll do that. I gotta get to class now.”

“Of course.”

'Nice seeing you! Bye!”

Stiles continues walking to class but he's interrupted again before he gets there. This time it's by a voice that he doesn't recognize.

“Hey! You! Can you wait a sec?”

He sees a guy jogging toward him. He's seen him around school before and knows that he's a senior but he's never spoken to him. For a second he thinks it might be one of Jackson's friends, he's certainly attractive enough to be one, but Stiles realizes he's never seen him at Jackson's lunch table.

He's tan, with big brown eyes and full lips. He's wearing a tank and Stiles can see that his arms are well-toned. He's nowhere near as big as Derek, but he isn't puny either. He's holding a skateboard in his hands and Stiles thinks he can see a tattoo peaking out of his shirt. He's around the same height as Stiles, maybe a couple of inches taller.

“Yeah?” Stiles says, because he's still not entirely sure this isn't a Jackson ambush waiting to happen.

“Your uh...” the boy wipes sweat from his forehead, “Your name is Stiles, right?”

“Yeah...”

“I'm Edgar. Edgar Rodriguez. We've never met before...”

He reaches out to shake Stiles hand and Stiles apprehensively takes it.

“I know it's kind of weird coming up to you like this. I don't want to freak you out,” he makes a gesture with his hand and smiles. Stiles can't deny Edgar has a great smile, with a single dimple on the left side of his mouth.

“Oh, it's okay. What's up?”

“Well, I-” Edgar laughs nervously, “Wow, I am really bad at this.”

Stiles doesn't say anything. He just looks at him. He can't stop looking, actually.

Edgar takes a deep breath. “So I always see you around school and I've always wanted to talk to you, but I never really had the balls to do it. But I figured this is my senior year and if I don't do it I might regret it. You know, carpe diem and all that.”

“Oh, well, hi.” Stiles says, waving.

Edgar smiles. “Hi.” He gestures to Stiles' shirt, “You listen to Radiohead?”

Stiles looks down at his shirt like he's forgotten what he's wearing. “Yeah, they're one of my favorite bands.”

“That's rad. OK Computer is one of my favorite albums.”

Stiles nods, feeling strangely euphoric, “Yeah. Me too.”

“I remember I hated it when I first heard it. But one day I was just lying in bed at night, and I put on my earphones, and I listened to it from beginning to end without stopping and I felt like...”

“Like you were in another world.”

“Yeah! Exactly.”

Stiles notices Edgar's skateboard has an intricate if slightly morbid anatomical drawing of a human body. “I like your skateboard.”

“Really? I did the design myself.” 

“That's amazing.”

He brings it up to give Stiles a better view, “Thanks. I'm glad you like it. Most people think it's sort of scary. But it was either this or...”

“Or Hello Kitty?”

Edgar laughs and they stare at each other for a few moments without saying anything.

“You going to class? I can walk you. Here-” Edgar says, and he grabs Stiles' backpack. “I'll carry this for you.”

“You don't have to-”

“It's cool. Just lead the way!”

They walks side by side and Stiles has to admit it's nice to have someone treating him like this. He wonders if this is how Derek feels all the time, with guys and girls ogling him daily.

Stiles hates that he's still thinking about Derek even while he's talking to Edgar, though.

“Well, this is it,” Stiles says when they reach the clasroom.

Edgar reads the sign on the door. “Multivariable Calculus & Differential Equations...Holy shit. So you're cute and smart? You actually take this class?”

“Umm...I...” Stiles feels his palms starting to sweat as he tries to ignore that he was just called cute by someone besides Melissa or the lunch lady. “I actually already took this class. I'm just a teacher's aid here now.”

Edgar's jaw drops. “How is that even possible?”

“I like math I guess.”

“That's really cool. I mean, I heard that you were smart but I had no idea you were _that_ smart.”

Stiles smiles and shrugs.

“Anyway, I gotta get to class. Maybe we can talk some more later.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“See you later, Stiles.”

“Yeah, later.”

Edgar walks away but stops himself before he gets very far. He turns around and jogs back toward Stiles.

“Okay, so, I want to ask you something and I, uh, I sorta feel like if I don't do it now I'm not going to have the courage later.”

Stiles heart starts to beat faster. He's really not used to this.

Edgar licks his lips. “Will you go to the fall dance with me? It's totally cool if, you know, if you have someone to go with. I mean, you probably do. I don't even know why I asked. Sorry,” he says in a mad rush and starts to walk away again.

“I don't have anyone.”

Edgar turns around. “What?”

“I don't have anyone to go with. I wasn't even going to go.”

Edgar's eyes light up. “So...will you go with me?”

For some reason, Stiles' mind flashes back to that moment outside of the graveyard when Derek reached out to ask him to hold his hand. He remembers the look on Derek's face. His jaw was clenched and his eyes had something in them that felt like insecurity, or maybe longing. How could he have expected Stiles to believe that they were just friends? And when Stiles took his hand and they walked into that secret place, how could he not expect Stiles to believe it was the beginning of love? Isn't that what love is after all, letting someone into the deep, dark spaces where no one else is allowed? How could he throw that all away?

“Yeah, sure,” Stiles hears himself say, but the words don't sound like his own.

“YEAH!” Edgar yells so loud that several people turn to look.

-

Stiles manages to avoid running into Derek during lunch but he knows he'll have to see him during Ms. Blake's class which is why he's standing outside the door of the English room trying to collect himself. He knows Derek is usually there early so he's probably already inside.

_Don't let him see you break_ , Stiles says to himself and opens the door.

Derek is, of course, already at his desk looking brutally gorgeous in a tight gray henley. He's looking down at his textbook and reading with a serious expression on his face.

“Hey Stiles,” Ms. Blake says.

“Hey Ms. Blake.”

Stiles walks to his desk next to Derek.

“Hey,” he says as he sits down.

“Hi,” Derek replies.

It's awkward. Stiles wishes he would have waited outside for at least a couple of more minutes or maybe even waited for the bell to ring. He pretends to search his backpack for something.

Lucky for him, Erica walks in a couple of minutes later. She sits down next to him even though it's not her seat.

“Stilinski! What's up?”

“Nothing. I just think I lost my...pencil.”

Erica shakes her head. “When are you going to straighten up your act?” she says sarcastically.

Stiles notices she has her hair done. “Hey, your hair looks nice.”

“Yeah, I know. I got it styled for the dance. I was going for a kind of J. Lo meets Barbarella look.”

“I can see it.”

“So are you going to the dance?”

“Yeah. Actually, I just got a date earlier today.”

Stiles sees Derek shift in his seat from the corner of his eye. He's close enough to hear their conversation.

“Ooh! Do tell! Is it...?” She looks at Derek.

Stiles shakes his head nervously. “His name is Edgar.”

“Edgar? Hmm...” She squints her eyes like she's trying to remember. “What does he look like?”

“He's a skater guy, around my height, kinda messy short hair,” Stiles makes sure to say the next part a little louder, “He's really cute.”

Derek shifts again.

“Oh I know him! He's like an artist guy right? I met him once because he's in Boyd's ceramics class and he was helping Boyd with a project. He's actually really talented.”

“Yeah. I saw this design he did on his skateboard. It was amazing.”

“Cool. Well, Boyd and I will be there but only for a little while. We rented out a motel room for the real celebration, if you know what I mean...” she says, winking.

Stiles laughs. “Yeah, well, maybe I'll do the same.”

Suddenly he hears a loud crunching noise beside him. He turns around to see Derek has torn his textbook in half. It's shredded completely down the middle like someone sawed it.

“Derek!” Ms. Blake yells. She has a look on her face like she can't believe what she's seeing, “You can show yourself to the principal's office! Right now!”

Derek storms out of the class.

“What was that all about?” Erica asks, looking over at the remnants of the textbook on Derek's desk.

Stiles doesn't say anything, but there's a million things going through his mind.

-

Scott tells Stiles the next morning at school that Derek was suspended for a day and that the football coach had to practically beg on his knees for the principal to allow Derek to play in the first game next week because according to BHHS policy, any player that gets suspended has to miss at least one game.

“What did you say to him to make him do that?”

“I didn't say anything to him. I was talking to Erica about the dance.”

“Yeah, about that, do you have a suit yet?”

“No. Do I have to wear one?”

“You can't show up in a t-shirt and jeans, Stiles.”

“I can't afford one.”

“Well, you can just rent it. That's what me and Isaac are doing. We went to the tux store yesterday to try some on,” Scott smiles, “But we got a little distracted.”

Stiles looks at Scott suspiciously. “What do you mean?”

“It's the store's fault. They have private dressing rooms and they left me and Isaac alone in there. Well one thing led to another and...”

“Please, just stop there. I really don't need to hear this.”

“...Isaac likes to put his tongue-”

Stiles covers his ears, “Oh my god Scott, shut up.”

-

Stiles does eventually manage to rent a tux. His dad pays for it, elated that Stiles decided to go to the dance after all. Stiles feels awkward in it. It's probably a little too small for him and uncomfortable around the collar. He fumbles with the tie for around fifteen minutes before giving up and calling his dad in for help.

They struggle with it together for another ten minutes.

He finishes combing his hair (he parted it to one side because he didn't know what else to do with it) just as Scott and Isaac arrive with Melissa in tow. His dad lets them in and Stiles can hear them talking loudly in the living room. He takes a deep breath and walks out.

When he gets into the living room they all stop talking and turn to stare at him.

Melissa covers her mouth with her hands in shock. “Stiles...” He can see tears welling up in her eyes, “You look incredible.”

Scott and Isaac are staring without saying a word.

“I feel so weird,” Stiles says. He looks down and notice his zipper is down so he zips it up.

Melissa pulls out a camera from her purse, “I need a picture.”

She snaps a photo of Stiles smiling awkwardly at the camera.

“Dude! You look like a model!” Scott says.

Isaac shakes his head in disbelief. “That can't be Stiles.”

Stiles flushes red, “Okay, can everyone stop looking at me now?”

Stiles is saved from any further embarrassment when there's a knock on the door.

“That's probably Edgar. Everyone, please be...normal.”

Scott crosses his eyes. “What are you talking about? We are normal.”

Stiles rolls his eyes but can't help smiling. He opens the door and Edgar is standing outside, looking a little bit nervous, but also superbly dapper in a bow tie. His suit jacket has a Dia De Los Muertos skull pin which is beautifully painted with pastel colors.

“...Stiles...” he says, like he's in a daze.

“Hey dude. You look great.”

Edgar looks Stiles up and down. “You look...like a dream.”

Stiles can practically hear Melissa jump up and down behind him, “Aww! This is so cute I can't take it! Stiles, invite him in! I. NEED. PICTURES.”

Stiles laughs, “I'm sorry in advance, Edgar. Come in...”

Edgar steps inside.

“This is my dad...” Stiles says, motioning to John.

John smiles at Edgar and shakes his hand. “Nice to meet you, sir.”

“Call me John, please. 'Sir' makes me feel really old.”

“You're the sheriff, right?”

“Yup. So if you hurt my son I'll throw you in-”

“Dad!” Stiles says.

Edgar laughs and looks at Stiles, “It's okay. I can respect that. I'd be protective over you, too.” He looks at John seriously and nods, “I'll take good care of him, John.”

Stiles motions to Melissa next, who by the looks of it is trying everything she can to keep herself from flailing, “This is Melissa. She's my friend Scott's mom and one of the coolest ladies in the world.”

“Hola Edgar,” she says, shaking his hand.

“Hola.”

“And this is Scott and Isaac or as I like to call them, Scisaac,” Stiles says, leading Edgar to them.

“Hey dude,” Scott says, immediately followed by Isaac, “Hey man. Nice to meet you.”

Melissa takes around fifty different photos of them before they're allowed to leave.

-

When they get to the dance, it's already in full force. Stiles can't believe how incredible it looks and decides Lydia is some sort of magician. There are large strands of metallic fabric hanging from the ceiling, which reflect the lights along the walls. They flash from blue to red to purple, giving the whole room a surreal glow. There are images being projected on the walls, beautiful patterns and silhouettes. It all has a strange, outer-spacey feel. There's also a stage, where Stiles guesses the king and queen will be announced.

Stiles and Edgar make their way across the room. They look around for a while before getting on the dance floor.

Stiles doesn't know how to dance. The closest he's ever come to dancing was during a third grade recital. But Edgar certainly seems to know what he's doing, so Stiles follows his lead as he starts to move to the music. He feels goofy and uncoordinated but he can't deny how much fun he's having. He never really though he would ever be able to let loose like this, especially not to the tune of 'Naughty Girl' by Beyonce. But he feels something in the air, like the feeling of things coming together. He feels happiness.

He sees Scott and Isaac dancing across the floor. Isaac is looking slightly more awkward than usual, but only because Scott is grinding on him in a way that's probably too suggestive for a high school dance.

He also sees Erica and Boyd, Lydia and Aiden, Danny and Ethan all having a good time. It's strange to think that Alpha werewolves make time for high school dances, but apparently they do. He even spots Ennis in the crowd. He isn't afraid, he knows they wouldn't try anything in front of so many people, but it still makes him slightly uneasy.

His heart stops when he sees Derek dancing with Allison. He turns away immediately. He can't stand to see it. Just a quick glimpse was enough to sour his mood.

“You okay?” Edgar asks. He's sweating a little and his bow tie is slightly crooked. Stiles adjusts it.

“Yeah, why?”

“You look a little distracted.”

“Sorry. I'm not used to this at all.”

Edgar smiles and nods at him, “Relax, you're a natural!”

“Yeah, right.”

“Hey – I'm really thirsty. I'm going to go get some punch, do you want some?”

“No thanks.”

“Okay, I'll be right back.”

He walks away and Stiles doesn't really know what to do. He stands there doing nothing and feeling like an idiot before leaving the dance floor to lean against a wall. He keeps his eye away from the dance floor. He doesn't want to see Derek.

A few minutes pass before Edgar finds him.

“I found you!” Edgar yells.

“Hey, you ready to go back out there or do you want to take a break?”

“Let's take a break,” Edgar says, and walks closer to Stiles. “Let's take a break,” he says again, and Stiles can smell alcohol on his breath.

“Have you been drinking?”

“I think someone spiked the punch. I drank a lot. I was really thirsty. I drank a lot,” Edgar says, slurring his words slightly. He walks even closer to Stiles, “God you're hot.”

“Okay buddy, why don't we sit you down somewhere.”

“No, no, please. Let me just...” He puts his arms around Stiles' waist and runs his tongue across his neck. “You're so hot, Stiles. God...”

“Edgar, we shouldn't be doing this. You're drunk...Really, really drunk.”

Edgar reaches down and grabs Stiles' ass with both hands, “I swear you have the best ass I've ever seen on a guy,” he whispers into his ear.

Stiles tries to push him away, “Stop. Come on...”

“Please Stiles, let me fuck you. It wont hurt. I'll make it feel so good for you.”

Stiles tries to push him away again, “No. I'm not interested. Let me go!”

“Please Stiles...”

An unexpected voice comes from behind them, “He said he wasn't interested.”

It's Derek, wearing a perfectly tailored suit and looking intensely pissed off. He grabs Edgar by the collar and yanks him off Stiles. 

“Listen to me,” Derek says to Edgar, still holding his collar, “You're going to get out of here and you're going to go home. If I see you again tonight, it wont end well.”

He lets go and Edgar looks at Stiles. Stiles can see the hurt in his eyes.

“Go!” Derek says and points at the door.

Edgar walks away.

Stiles wonders what could have been in the punch to make Edgar act like that. It had to be more than just alcohol for his personality to change so drastically.

“You okay?” Derek asks.

“Someone spiked the punch and he was drunk. I could have handled it. You don't have to babysit me.”

“Stiles, I just wanted to help.”

“Help? Now I don't have a date. So, thank you for that, Derek. Now why don't you go back to Allison?” Stiles says bitterly and walks away.

He finds a chair to sit in and resigns himself to being a wallflower for the rest of the night. He thinks about leaving, but he's Isaac and Scott's ride and he can't leave them stranded.

He wishes he could disappear. He wants to just disintegrate into a million particles and float out into endless space.

Suddenly the music stops and the stage lights up. Stiles is dismayed to see Jackson come out of the wing and head toward the mic in the middle. He's followed by two pretty girls carrying crowns and flowers, and by a nerdy member of the student council pushing a cart carrying a few small trophies. Unlike other schools, the awards at BHHS are chosen by the student council.

“Hello Beacon Hills High, I hate to interrupt your fun,” Jackson says into the mic with a shit-eating grin, “But it's time to announce our awards, including the ever-coveted King and Queen.”

Stiles sees Lydia in the crowd with her arms crossed looking visibly annoyed. He guesses that it's probably her that was supposed to be up there, not Jackson.

Stiles gets up from his chair to join the crowd because anything is better than sitting alone.

They give out awards for Best Athlete, Best Hair, Best Dancer and a few others until there is only one trophy left.

“Now, this last award,” Jackson starts, “Is very special. It was created by yours truly and it's the first time it's ever been given out. It goes out to that one person that never seems to have any luck in love. It's a kind of homage to the loner, the downtrodden, if you will. The one that teaches us that it's okay to be a loser.”

Stiles looks at Lydia, who is being held back by a couple of her friends. If they let her go she might just get on stage and kill Jackson.

This can't be good.

Jackson continues, “It's my pleasure to present the inaugural Forever Alone award to...drumroll please...Stiles Stilinksi!”

Stiles feels like time stops. He doesn't know what to do. He thinks about going on stage and saying something funny. Maybe if he laughs it off it wont be so bad. But he can't bring himself to do it.

He looks around and only Jackson's friends are laughing. Everyone else is looking around like they're embarrassed, or like they feel sorry for him.

“Stiles Stilinski! Come up and accept your award!”

He shakes his head, stunned. He turns around and walks away. He feels dizzy, the room around him is blurry and surreal. He hears a scuffle coming from the stage, and Lydia's voice. Stiles guesses she's yanking the mic away from Jackson.

But Stiles doesn't care. He doesn't care about anything anymore.

He feels a hand grab his shoulder and turns around to see Scott.

“It's okay, Stiles.”

“I tried, Scott,” Stiles says. “I tried.”

He walks out just in time to hear Derek and Allison win King and Queen.

-

There's a place that Stiles likes to go to when he feels like he wants to run away. It's an old garden located just beyond the high school. Not that many people know that it exists, because it's tucked away in a small patch of forest between two roads. It used to be a part of the school a long time ago when it was first built, and no one has bothered to demolish it. The iron fence that leads inside is rusted and overgrown with vines.

Stiles likes it, even though most of the plants inside are dead. He's thought about maybe fixing the place up, but there's something about it being dilapidated and ugly that he likes. There's statues that are covered with moss and vines, and the walls around the garden are crumbling. It makes Stiles feel like he's wandered into the remains of some long lost civilization.

There's a large, leafless tree in the middle. It has a thick trunk and makes Stiles think it's something the druids would have worshiped as a nemeton.

Stiles takes off his jacket and shirt, leaving only a thin undershirt on. He sits down next to the tree, wraps his arms around his legs, rests his head on his knees, closes his eyes, and thinks. He knows he should probably feel rage. He should probably want to key Jackson's Porsche or get revenge some other way.

But he doesn't. He feels like the garden around him: abandoned and overgrown.

He can't cry, though. He feels like doesn't have any tears left.

He hears the iron face open and looks up expecting to see Scott. Instead, he sees Derek. His eyes are glazed over and he looks like he did that day by the lake when he told Stiles the story about the girl who turned into the stars. He's holding the King's crown in his hand.

Derek walks up to him.

“Lydia punched Jackson so hard that one of his teeth fell out and he had to go to the emergency room. She didn't know he was going to do that.”

Stiles snorts, “She should put that on her college resume. How did you find me?”

“Scott told me where you'd be. Can I sit down?”

“I don't need your pity, if that's what you're here to give me.”

Derek sits down so close to Stiles that their legs are touching.

“I'm sorry,” Derek says.

Stiles doesn't say anything. A strong wind stirs the garden, sending dead leaves flying everywhere.

“I have been really stupid,” Derek continues, “You probably hate me.”

Stiles shakes his head and a tear streams down his cheek, “I could never hate you. Even if you've hurt me more than you know, I still couldn't. I only hate myself.”

Derek sighs. He looks like he's about to cry, too. “I've done everything I can to push you away.”

“Why?” Stiles asks, his voice cracking.

“When I first got back to Beacon Hills, I thought maybe I could do something about the Alphas so that no one would be in danger, especially you. That's the reason I came back: to protect you. And I thought that I could fix things and then go away again, so you wouldn't have to be around me, so you wouldn't have to be around this curse that I have that will ruin your life like it did mine.”

Stiles looks at Derek, who is crying now, too.

“But then I saw you and everything that I had been planning went out the window. I didn't plan on you...I didn't plan on you being so fucking amazing. So, I tried to push you away. That moment at the library when I shoved you and told you to leave...it took everything inside of me to be able to do it. And afterward I just wanted to die. I just kept seeing the hurt in your eyes and it drove me crazy. I don't like it when you're sad.”

Derek takes a deep breath before continuing, “And then we became friends again and I thought maybe I could make it work, maybe I could have you, because I know that you're strong and that you could fight with me, too. But when we were ambushed by the Alphas at the lake, I knew that there wasn't any hope. Ennis threatened to kill you and he might have done it had I not been there. Kali might have done the same. I realized...I realized that if you were with me there was no way you could ever be safe. And I can't have that. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you. So I asked Allison to the dance as my last attempt to push you away from me. I couldn't talk to you. I couldn't even look at you in Ms. Blake's class because I knew that if I looked at you, I'd never be able to let you go.”

Stiles reaches out to grab Derek's hand. His own hand is trembling and cold, but Derek takes it.

“You're not the only one under a curse,” Stiles says. “I've never felt like I'm a part of the world. My mind works so differently than other people and every time I try to be normal it gets...messed up. I love my dad and Melissa and Scott but I have felt so alone for the longest time. The only time I feel like I belong is when I'm with you.”

He squeezes Derek's hand, “Derek...I love everything about you, even the broken parts.”

Derek yanks his hand away and for a second Stiles thinks he might get up and walk away. But instead he gets even closer and wraps his arm around Stiles' torso. He's so close now that their faces are almost touching.

“Duke will try to use you against me. You're my weakness,” Derek says in a hushed voice.

Stiles shakes his head and smiles, “I'm your strength.”

Derek smiles. He takes the crown and places it on Stiles' head. Stiles smiles and they sit in silence for a while, listening to the leaves run across the ground. The air is cool and refreshing. Stiles feels like it's washing over him, making him anew.

“You know that night in your apartment when you were asleep and I healed you?” Derek asks.

Stiles raises his eyebrow, “Yeah?”

“I kissed you on the cheek.”

Stiles laughs, “Oh my god.”

“I couldn't resist it. I thought it would be my only chance. I felt sort of guilty about it after. I just kissed you and stared at you for a while, nothing else,” Derek says, like he's confessing a horrible crime.

“Were you memorizing me?”

“No. I already knew you by memory.”

Derek leans in and puts hits lips against Stiles' neck and breathes Stiles in. Stiles feels it tingle, it tickles like a feather. Derek doesn't kiss him, he simply rubs his lips across his neck, back and forth. It makes Stiles heart beat faster than he thought was possible. “I've memorized you're really long neck,” Derek touches the bottom of Stiles' neck with his index finger, “And this tan line here.”

He kisses Stiles on the cheek lightly. He barely makes contact, but it's enough to make Stiles hard. “I've memorized the moles on your face,” he kisses him on the cheek again, “Seven on the left side, four on the right.”

“Derek...” Stiles whispers. It's all he can manage.

“I've memorized your brown eyes, your fox eyes. I've memorized the way your nose points up and how there are red imprints on the bridge of it when you take your glasses off. I've memorized the way you smell...”

Derek runs his hand down Stiles' leg, “I've memorized how perfect your ass looks in a pair of jeans.”

“You didn't drink any of that punch, did you?” Stiles asks because it's just like him to say something sarcastic and stupid during a moment like this.

Derek shakes his head, “No.”

He grabs Stiles' chin and brings their lips together. The kiss is soft and slow, lazy almost, like Derek knows it's only the first of many. His lips are so different from what Stiles remembers. The first time they kissed Derek was a boy, and now he's a man. There's power behind his kiss, and aggression, and desire.

His stubble is like sandpaper against Stiles' skin but Stiles loves it. He wants it to leave red imprints on him, he wants to be marked by Derek.

Their tongues meet once, twice, three times. Derek takes Stiles' bottom lip into his mouth and Stiles lets out a moan. He gets the courage to run his hand down Derek's leg and accidentally brushes against Derek's cock, which is hard in his pants.

“Whoooa,” Stiles says, because it's admittedly bigger than he thought it would be. His face turns hot and red when he realizes how embarrassing that sounded.

“It's all for you,” Derek whispers into his ear.

Stiles works up the courage to rub Derek's cock from outside his pants. He moves his hand up and down slowly, grabbing as much of it as he can. Derek grunts and his whole body shifts.

Stiles starts to feel like he's in control, now.

He kisses Derek's neck, taking his time. He runs his tongue across it, “Do you know how many times I've thought about what it would be like to do this? I've thought about it every fucking day. You've been making me crazy.”

“Tell me,” Derek says, panting, “Tell me what you thought about.”

Their mouths meet again. This time it's Stiles who takes Derek's bottom lip into his mouth. Derek puts his hand on Stiles' neck.

Stiles pulls away, but just barely. He talks into Derek's mouth while he continues to stroke him, “I thought about what it would be like to have you in me. I fingered myself and pretended it was you.”

“Fuck,” Derek says, clenching his jaw.

“Can I pull it out?” Stiles asks.

Derek nods, “Yeah.”

Just as Stiles is unbuttoning Derek's pants he hears the iron fence open again. They both look up to see Isaac, Scott and Lydia. They appear panicked and are panting like they ran all the way there.

“Something's happened at the dance,” Isaac says.

“What is it?” Stiles asks. He's sure he probably looks completely wrecked,

“A lot of people started acting insane and fighting. Someone started a fire and locked the doors. We managed to get it open just in time,” Scott says, “But it's chaos over there.”

Lydia shakes her head in disbelief, "They ruined everything.”

"There's something going on. We have to get out of here,” Isaac adds.

Stiles and Derek get up. There's an awkward moment where everyone looks at the considerably horizontal tent in Derek's groin, but there's no time to dwell on it.

Derek grabs Stiles' hand and they all walk out of the garden.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there was a mistake in the last chapter where Derek referred to Duke as Deucalion. Obviously they don't know Duke's real identity yet, so I corrected it and let's just ignore that it happened! XD

Stiles has always wondered what it would be like to be in the middle of a disaster like an earthquake or a hurricane. While the school gym being on fire doesn't exactly count as a cataclysm, the way that the students are reacting makes it seem like the end of the world. Stiles has never seen so many people acting so insane. He can hear police sirens in the background, but they're already too late to stop the mayhem.

There's some students breaking classroom windows and setting more things on fire. Some of the students are in Stiles' AP classes, perfectly reasonable individuals who would normally never act this way. It's like someone flipped a switch and everyone went batshit crazy.

Stiles and the others all rush to the parking lot together. Derek is holding Stiles' hand so tight it almost hurts.

When they get to the lot they see that Derek's Camaro has been practically destroyed but by some miracle Stiles' Jeep hasn't been touched.

“Shit,” Stiles says, “Derek...”

“Don't worry about it. We gotta get out of here,” Derek says urgently. They all run to Stiles' jeep and cram inside. Stiles and Derek are in front, while Scott, Isaac and Lydia are in the back.

Stiles tries to start the car but it stalls. “Oh, come on!”

He tries again but the engine doesn't seem to want to work. “Fuck! Of all the times for this to happen!”

“Umm, guys...” Lydia says from the backseat, but no one seems to hear her.

“Could it be the battery?” Derek asks.

“I don't know” Stiles replies.

“Guys!” Lydia says louder this time, and they all turn to look at her.

“What the hell are those?” Lydia says and points outside.

There are four giant wolves pacing around in the distance. They're acting as if they're looking for something, like they're trying to sniff something out. It's strange how none of the other students seem to notice them, like they're too lost in their own madness.

Stiles recognizes Ennis and Kali. There's two wolves that look identical and he guesses they're Ethan and Aiden.

“Shit,” Stiles says and tries in vain to start the car again.

“They look like wolves,” Scott says.

Stiles and Derek look at each other, then at Isaac. They were so close to telling Scott the truth after he was attacked by Ennis but ultimately decided to tell him it was a freak mountain lion attack. Scott didn't remember much besides being knocked down, so the lie worked. But Stiles wondered if it was the right thing to do. He knows they have to tell Scott eventually, but he doesn't know if he's ready yet.

“What do we do?” Lydia asks.

“Maybe if we got out and ran...” Isaac starts.

“It's not safe,” Derek says.

“And it's safe in here?” Lydia cuts in. “We have to try something!”

Stiles sees one of the wolves, Ennis, turn to look in their direction.

“Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit,” Stiles says.

He turns the key in the ignition one more time and by some miracle the car starts. He backs out of the parking spot just as the wolves start to run toward them.

Stiles jams his foot on the accelerator and races out of the lot, swerving to miss some debris lying on the ground. He can see the wolves running toward him in the rear view mirror.

“Can't this thing go any faster!?” Lydia interjects.

“It's a Jeep! It's not exactly meant for racing Lydia!” Stiles replies. He's trying to stay focused on the path in front of him. He pulls out of the school and onto the main road. Luckily it's late enough that aren't many other cars driving around.

“They're getting closer!” Scott yells.

Stiles is trying really hard not to panic. If the wolves manage to catch up, there's no way Derek will be able to hold them all off. His heart sinks when he looks at the fuel gauge and sees the car is almost out of gas.

Suddenly he feels Derek's hand on his leg. “Stiles, if you can keep the car moving we'll be fine. Do you know somewhere we can go where we can hide?”

Stiles nods, feeling a renewed sense of bravery just by being touched by Derek, “I have keys to the library. It's this old brick building with iron doors and the windows have bars on them. I think we'll be safe there. But how am I going to unlock the door without being mauled?”

“How far are we from the library?” Derek asks.

“A few blocks. It's on Main and 3rd,” Stiles says.

“I have an idea,” Derek says and rolls down his window.

“What are you doing?” Stiles asks.

“I'll try to lead them away from you. Get to the library and stay there.”

Derek actually starts climbing out the window but Stiles grabs him. The Jeep swerves wildly.

“I'm not going anywhere without you!” Stiles commands.

“Are you insane Derek? You'll be killed! Stiles, watch out!” Lydia yells and Stiles turns the wheel just in time to miss crashing into another car.

“Bloody hell!” Isaac yells out. He's looking out the back window at the wolves, “I think two of the wolves just merged into one! And it's coming up behind us fast!”

Stiles looks at his rear-view mirror. There's a wolf the size of a car sprinting toward them.

“We don't have any time to waste. I'll lose them and then get to the library, I promise,” Derek says, before climbing out of the window and jumping off. He shifts into chimera form in mid-air, his clothes shred and fly out onto the street.

Lydia screams, “Oh my god!”

“What the fuck!?” Scott follows.

The plan seems to work, as the wolves follow Derek away from the car.

“What the fuck was that!?” Scott asks.

“I'll explain everything when we get to the library, “ Stiles replies. “Just keep an eye out for the wolves.”

“The wolves!? Derek just turned into a fucking monster and you're worried about the wolves!?” Scott yells impatiently.

“Scott, just trust me!”

Stiles finally spots the library and turns into the parking lot. “Okay, as soon as I stop the car, everyone run to the door.”

He pulls the Jeep into the library's parking garage and looks for a spot to park where it wont be visible from the outside.

“Okay, let's go!”

They all take off running toward the library's entrance. When they reach the door, Stiles fumbles for a second for the key before unlocking it. They all crowd inside and Stiles de-activates the alarm system, then he looks the door again.

“Why do you have keys to this place?” Lydia asks, out of breath.

“I do volunteer work here, and sometimes I'm in here to until really late. So they figured it would just be easier to give me a key. I probably know this place better than the people who work here,” Stiles replies.

The door has a small window for Stiles to look through for any sign of Derek. He's holding on to the door handle with one hand and his other hands is on the door lock.

“What do we do now?” Scott asks.

“We wait for Derek to get back and then we stay here until morning,” Stiles says, still staring out into the night. _Please be okay, Derek. Please_ , he thinks to himself.

“Are you going to explain to us what the hell happened back there?” Lydia asks.

“In a second, just...just wait. I have to keep watch for Derek,” Stiles says shakily.

“How were those two wolves able to become one? And why did Derek turn into that- that thing!?” Scott asks.

“Scott, please, I'll explain it later. You have to be quiet. I'm trying to listen,” Stiles replies impatiently.

“I'll tell them,” Isaac says.

Stiles turns to look at him.

“I'll explain it to them.” Isaac grabs Scott's hand and leads him away, toward one of the reading rooms. “Come on, Lydia. Let's go.”

Lydia looks at Stiles curiously, then follows Isaac.

Now it's just Stiles alone looking out of the window.

_Please be okay, Derek. Please. Don't leave me again._

The more time that passes by the more Stiles starts to lose hope. He leans his forehead against the window, his hands still firmly gripping the handle and lock, ready to open it at the first sign of Derek.

_You promised me. Please don't die. I love you. You promised me..._

He sees something running toward the library in the distance. At first it's just a shadow but when as it gets closer Stiles can see that it's Derek in full wolf form. Stiles unlocks the door and swings it open. Derek rushes inside and it's as if he brings the wind along with him, a gust that sends papers flying everywhere. 

Stiles shuts the door and locks it. When he turns around, Derek is already back to human form. Stiles runs up to him and hugs him. Derek wraps his arms around Stiles tightly, “I'm okay. I lost them,” he says, all out of breath.

“I thought I'd lost _you_!” Stiles says, burying his face into Derek's neck. “Why do you have to be so fucking heroic all the time?”

Derek rubs Stiles back, “Where are the others?”

Stiles pulls away, “I think Isaac is giving Scott and Lydia a crash course in werewolf-ism.”

Derek leans in and gives Stiles a soft, dry kiss. Stiles looks into his eyes and notices the irises glowing just slightly. It reminds him of the ocean. He feels his anxiety and fear drifting away.

“You're really sweaty and really naked,” Stiles whispers.

Derek smiles, but says nothing. He just keep staring into Stiles' eyes.

“Maybe we should go join the others. I have a feeling that if I stand next to you much longer, I'm going to end up sucking you off in the middle of the library.”

“Would that be so bad?” Derek says into Stiles' ear.

Stiles feels the hair on the back of his neck stand up. “Considering our friends are in the next room, probably completely terrified and panicked, makes me think maybe we shouldn't. But I guess there would be no harm if I just...” Stiles wraps his hand around Derek's cock, which is already hard, “...played with it a little...”

He strokes him slowly and Derek leans into him, exhaling on his neck.

“What's wrong? The big bad wolf can't handle my hand around his cock?” Stiles says into his ear.

Suddenly they hear a voice coming toward them. It's Lydia. “Stiles, you there? Is there a phone I can use?”

Stiles and Derek freeze. “Yeah! But wait! Hold on a sex! I mean, a sec! Derek just came in and, uh, he doesn't have any clothes on.”

“Oh...okay...” Lydia says and Stiles can hear her walking back, “Is he okay?”

“He's fine!” We'll be there in a sec!” Stiles yells shakily as she heads back to the other room.

Stiles laughs quietly, “Okay, that was close. Maybe me jacking you off right now isn't the best idea...”

“Yeah. Well, I can't walk in there with this thing.” He motions down to his cock, which is still hard and pointing ahead like an arrow. “What am I gonna wear?”

Stiles starts to unbutton his pants, “You can wear my pants. I'm glad I actually wore underwear today.”

He takes them off and hands them to Derek. Derek stares down at Stiles' boxer briefs. “You're kidding, right? You're going to be prancing around in those? I'm not going to be able to concentrate on anything.”

Stiles grins, “I seem to recall someone pulling the same trick on me. So why don't we just call this...” he snaps the boxer briefs' waist band, “...revenge?”

Derek rolls his eyes but Stiles doesn't miss how his mouth curves up.


	18. Chapter 18

Scott and Lydia take the news surprisingly well. When Stiles and Derek walk into the reading room, Scott is sitting on Isaac's lap while Lydia is pacing around the room barefoot, like she's trying to think, putting the pieces of the puzzle together. He guesses Isaac left out the part where her boyfriend is one of the wolves that just tried to kill them, otherwise she'd probably be a lot less calm.

Stiles can't quite read the expression on Scott's face, but it seems like a mixture of sadness and exhaustion. He nuzzles into Isaac's neck and shuts his eyes.

“It makes sense, if you think about it,” she starts, “I always heard legends about things living in the woods. And this town seems to be obsessed with the supernatural, in case you haven't noticed. Even this library's like a haunted house.”

She stops talking when she spots Derek and Stiles. “Oh good. You found pants. Now, where's the phone? I have to call my mom before she freaks.”

“Uh yeah, I'll show you where it is,” Stiles says and walks Lydia toward the desk in the middle of the library.

“This place gives me the creeps,” Lydia says.

“It used to be an insane asylum,” Stiles replies.

“You're kidding. Please tell me you're kidding.”

“Nope. It used to house people that were considered criminally insane back when the town was first built. It's one of the reasons the sheriff station is so close. That's why there's bars on the windows. I guess no one bothered to take them down.”

Lydia shudders. “Ugh. Remind me to pick a college on the east side, far away from Beacon Hills.”

“Will do.”

They reach the desk and Lydia uses the phone to call her mom. When she's done, Stiles calls the sheriff station so the deputy there can let his dad know he's okay. Scott calls Melissa and Isaac calls his brother.

Derek doesn't call anyone, which makes Stiles a little sad.

By the time they're done with the calls it's already midnight and they're all starving so Stiles and Lydia head to the library's break room and stock up on junk food from the vending machine. They bring the stuff to another reading room, one that has couches, and after rearranging the furniture so they can sit together, they all sit around devouring chips and peanuts. It's not the most nutritious meal Stiles has ever had, but it's better than nothing.

“It's funny to think that just yesterday my biggest worry was making the gym look just right for the dance. And now it's probably all burnt to a crisp,” Lydia says. She's lounging by herself on a loveseat and taking a bite of a Dorito like it's a delicacy.

“What could have caused everyone to go crazy like that?” Isaac asks. He's laying on a couch with his arms around Scott. Scott is asleep with his head on Isaac's chest.

“There was something in the punch. It was more than alcohol, probably some kind of drug,” Stiles says. He's sitting on the couch with Derek, his leg's strewn across Derek's lap. “I don't know why anyone would do that, though.”

They talk for a little while longer, trying to find order in the chaos. Lydia and Isaac fall asleep eventually.

Stiles takes Derek by the hand and drags him off the couch. “Come on, I want to show you something.”

He leads Derek up winding stairs, to the second floor, and to a corner of the library with old-looking books stacked on wooden shelves.

“Help me push this shelf to the right,” Stiles says and signals to a shelf leaning against a wall. He begins to push it before Derek stops him and pushes it aside with one hand like it's made of foam.

Stiles rolls his eyes.“Yeah, okay, no need to show off buddy.”

Behind the shelf is a small door.

“Where does it lead?” Derek asks.

“To the attic.” 

Stiles opens the door and has to bend over to walk inside. He hears Derek grunt behind him.

“What?” Stiles asks.

“You know what,” Derek answers.

Stiles squints his eyes at Derek trying to figure out what he means.

“You're...just...nevermind,” Derek says and follows Stiles inside.

It takes a few seconds for Stiles to realize Derek was checking out his ass. He grins to himself as they climb the narrow set of stairs up to the attic.

The attic is dusty and old, like every other attic on the planet, but there's a very large, round window with a breathtaking view of the city that draws the moonlight in, giving the whole room a beautiful blue glow. There's a small couch right under it and its turned to face outside.

Stiles reaches into a box to grab a couple of blankets. “You should see this place when there's a storm out. I used to love coming here just to stare at the lighting in the distance.”

“You have so many hiding places,” Derek says.

“What?”

“The lake, the garden, this attic...” Derek lists off.

Stiles shrugs. “I like places like this.”

“How come?”

“It's nice to get away, I guess. It helps me think.”

Stiles spreads a blanket out on the couch. They lie down together, so that Stiles has his back pressed against Derek's chest and Derek has his arms and legs wrapped around Stiles.

There's a few cracks on the window that let the cold air in but Derek's warmth is enough to make Stiles comfortable.

“Do you think the alphas are still looking for us?” Stiles asks.

“Maybe. But they wont find us here.”

Stiles bites his lips. “Derek, what does the Beacon do?”

Derek sighs. “I can't...Stiles, I can't tell you.”

“Why not?”

Derek hesitates. “...I don't want to scare you.”

Stiles breaks away from Derek's arms and looks him in the eye. “Dude, did you forget that we were just chased by four giant wolves? I'm pretty sure I can handle it.”

Derek caresses Stiles' cheek with his hand. “It's so fucking cute when you're cheeks turn red.”

This, of course, causes Stiles' cheeks to turn even redder. But he isn't going to let Derek off that easy.

“If I'm going to help you, I need to know everything.”

Derek sighs again. “Okay.”

Stiles turns back around and leans back against Derek again. Derek's arms wrap around him.

“When I was really little,” Derek starts, “My sister Laura used to tell me these stories about a race of werewolves called Lycaons. She said that they had two heads, sharp quills and pitch black eyes. I thought it was just her trying to scare me. She used to tell me that when a little boy is bad, a Lycaon crawls under his bed and waits until the boy is nearby to grab him by the ankles and drag him into the underworld.”

“One day I asked her to prove it to me. I didn't think she would be able to, I though it would be just another one of Laura's tricks. But one day when no one was home, we snuck into my mom's room and under her bed was this old chest. There was only two things inside: a book and a skull.”

“I don't like where this is going,” Stiles says.

“The skull was a mangled mess, like someone had hastily sculpted it out of clay or something. It didn't have the kind of symmetry you'd expect with any other animal. The mouth was open and I could see there were two rows of teeth inside. There were holes all along the back of it, which is where the quills would have been.”

Stiles feels a shiver go down his spine.

“The book was all about their history, and it turns out Laura was telling the truth about them living in an underworld. They were a subterranean species and nocturnal. They were also said to be bloodthirsty and extremely unpredictable.”

“Okay, that is really fucking scary. But what does any of this have to do with the beacon?”

“The book talked about how the Lycaons were imprisoned by Druids because of the destruction that they were causing. There weren't very many of them, maybe a couple of hundred, and they were all essentially frozen in subterranean prisons. The beacon has the power to thaw them out, to summon them to the surface. But to activate it you need the key, which is what Duke is looking for.”

“Why didn't they just kill them?”

“The Druids believed that the Lycaons were werewolves that for some reason or other had mutated or become deformed and impaired by some sort of disease. Something like schizophrenia, except it affected both their brain and their body. They were to remain frozen until someone found a cure. No one ever did, so they remain there until this day.”

Derek lightly runs his hands down Stiles' bare legs. Stiles leans his head back and meets Derek's lips. They share a long, deep kiss. It seems a little strange to Stiles that he can still be horny after hearing everything Derek's just revealed to him, but there's something about Derek's warm body against his that makes him feel safe.

Stiles pulls away. “But why does Duke want to draw them out? I don't see how releasing hundreds of mutated, ravenous werewolves will accomplish anything.”

Derek sighs. “I wish I knew what his plan is. Maybe he's just a sadist and gets off on people being hurt.”

“And why do you have the key?”

Derek runs his hand down Stiles' boxer briefs. ”Why don't we talk about something else?”

Stiles feels like he's going to jump out of his skin.“Oh- my GOD,” he manages to say, just as Derek wraps his hand around his cock and begins to stroke it gently.

“You make me crazy,” Derek says into Stiles' ear.

Stiles doesn't reply, he's too busy rocking his hips back and forth, aching for more friction. He can feel Derek hard against his ass as he does it.

Derek puts his other hand down Stiles' underwear but this time reaches further down, until his finger is pressed against Stiles' hole. He rubs it and Stiles feels himself unravel.

“You told me you thought about me when you fingered yourself,” Derek says as he inserts the tip of his finger into Stiles, “Was it like this?”

“It was d- deeper,” Stiles whimpers out.

Derek slides his finger in more. Stiles feels a little pain but he loves the way it hurts.

“You're so tight,” Derek whispers. “I love it.”

They keep it up for another couple of minutes, with Derek stroking Stiles while also gently fingering him. Once Stiles starts to feel his orgasm rising within him, he abandons any shred of restraint he has left and moans loudly. He comes all over his t-shirt, feeling his hole clench tight around Derek's finger as he does so.

He struggles to catch his breath. Derek slides his finger out, Stiles didn't realize how deep inside it had been, and it leaves him feeling a little empty.

He pulls away from Derek, “Okay, now that I've thoroughly embarrassed myself by yelling like a banshee, it's your turn.”

Stiles turns around and starts to unzip Derek's pants but Derek stops him before he can do it. “Wait.”

“What?”

Derek points out the window. “Look.”

Stiles looks out into the night and sees that it's snowing. He can't remember it ever snowing in Beacon Hills. He gets up from the couch to get a better look out the window and sees that the city below is notably different, sparser. He can recognize some of the buildings like city hall and the fire department, but overall the city looks like how it might have looked in the early 1920s when it was first established.

“Is this your memory?” Derek asks.

Stiles shakes his head. “It can't be. This was so long ago, not even my mom was born yet.”

The door flings open and a heavyset man storms in. He's dragging a small boy by the collar. They boy's clothes are old and torn. He looks to be about ten years old.

The man tosses the boy on the floor. “You are to stay locked in here for the rest of today, do you understand?”

The boy nods his head. His eyes are glowing blue.

The man closes the door and the boy starts to weep.

Derek stands up and Stiles walks next to him. Their hands interlace. “Do you know who he is?” Stiles asks.

“No,” Derek replies.

The little boys head shoots up. “Who's there?”

Stiles and Derek look at each other and then back at the boy.

The little boy stands up and scans the room until his eyes land on Stiles and Derek. “Why are you dressed like that?”

Stiles starts to shake and his mouth goes dry. “You can see us?”

The little boy squints at him. “Of course I can see you. I have eyes, don't I?”

Stiles looks over at Derek. “He can see us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only a couple of more chapters to go in the story!


	19. Chapter 19

Stiles yanks the blanket off the couch and wraps it around himself when he remembers he's only wearing underwear.

The little boy looks at Derek and Stiles curiously. “Are you two patients here?”

“Patients where?” Derek asks.

“Here. You know, the psych ward? The nuthouse?”

“This is a library,” Derek says.

The boy looks at Derek like he's crazy. “I'll just take that as a yes.”

“What year is this?” Stiles asks.

“It's nineteen twenty-two. Christmas Day. How long have you been up here?”

Derek and Stiles look at each other in shock.

“I'm Theo. What are your names?”

Stiles leans down next to the boy. “I'm Stiles,” he motions toward Derek, “This is Derek.”

Derek joins Stiles next to the boy. “Why are you in here?” he asks.

Theo looks away and shrugs sadly. “Because my brain isn't normal. Why are you here?”

Stiles smiles at him. “See, the weird thing is, I'm not sure we really are here. This may be hard to believe, but we're from the future.”

“It's you! It's you! It's you!” Theo yells. Stiles looks at Derek, confused, and then looks back at the boy.

“What do you mean? How did you know we'd be here?” Stiles asks.

“It's just...” Theo looks at Stiles and Derek, tears starting to well up his his eyes, “I wished for this.”

“For what?” Derek asks.

Theo looks at Derek in the eyes. “For someone to come and rescue me.”

Stiles and Derek look at each other.

Theo continues, “It's like in all of the storybooks my mom used to read me. There would always be a prince and a princess from a faraway land, and together they'd save the orphan!”

Stiles smiles. “A prince and a princess?”

Theo nods. “Yeah. Well...I thought you would be a boy and a girl, not two boys. But it's okay! I think I like it better this way.”

“Where's your mom now?” Derek asks.

Theo looks down at the ground and wipes away a dirty tuft of hair. “The blind man took her away.”

“The blind man?”

Theo nods. “The monster man...”

“Where did he take her?”

Theo shakes his head. “I don't want to talk about this.”

Stiles puts his hand on the boy's shoulder. “It's okay. But how can we help you?”

Theo looks back up. Stiles can see the desperation in his eyes, which are still glowing blue.

“You can take me away from here,” Theo answer sincerely.

“But...” Stiles starts but doesn't get to finish because his vision goes blurry as he starts to feel himself slipping away from the moment. The room around him starts to dissolve, away from Theo, and back to the present

The last thing he hears is Theo's voice. It sounds faraway and desperate.

“You have to come back for me. You have to come back for me.”

Before they know it, Derek and Stiles are back in the present. They stand there completely still, as if any moment Theo will come back. But nothing happens.

-  
They somehow manage to get a couple of hours of sleep and wake up early the next morning before the library opens and drive back to the school. The gate's closed when they get there and the police are still inside. The gym has burned down almost completely and even from the outside there's very noticeable damage to the other buildings.

“It looks like armageddon,” Scott says.

Stiles spots his dad in a crowd of cops.

“Hey! Dad! Over here!” he yells.

John spots him and walks toward them. He opens the gate and hugs Stiles, then Scott. “I was worried about you boys.”

“We're fine, dad,” Stiles looks toward the gym, “But I guess I can't say the same for the school.”

John sighs and runs his hands through his hair. The look on his face implies a long night spent obsessing over details and studying evidence. “The good news is no one was seriously injured. As far as we know everyone got out of the gym on time.”

He looks at Stiles seriously in the eyes. “Listen, we interrogated a lot of people last night about the fire. I know what happened with you and Jackson-” John pauses and rests his hand on Stiles' shoulder, “I'm sorry son.”

“It's okay.”

“Some of the detectives here-” he pauses again, like he's struggling to get the words out, “They think that because of what happened to you...They have reason to believe...”

“They think I did it?” Stiles asks, shocked. “They think I went Carrie on everyone and torched the gym!?”

John sighs again. “I told them it wasn't possible, that you would never do that. But I can't give you a pass just because you're my son. They just want to question you at the station.”

“Stiles wasn't even there when the fire started,” Lydia says.

“Stiles was with me,” Derek adds.

The sheriff looks at him curiously and then nods. “Well, maybe it's best if all you kids go. If you have an alibi then it'll make everything easier. Sheriff Parrish will take you in for questioning. We'll talk when I get home tonight about this,” the sheriff points down at where Derek and Stiles are holding hands, “And about that.”

Stiles blushes. He didn't even remember reaching out for Derek's hand.

They're interrogated at the police station individually, given drug tests, and then let go. Stiles knows he doesn't have much to worry about, since there's no evidence linking him to the fire and he doesn't have a criminal history.

Stiles overhears some of the deputies talking about how some of the students had to be taken to the hospital because of alcohol poisoning and how they also showed signs of being under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs. It explains why everyone was acting so strange but Stiles still can't figure out why someone would do that. If the Alphas are behind it, their motives are unclear.

School is cancelled for the day, naturally, and Derek insists on staying with Stiles in case the wolves show up. Stiles doesn't argue. It's an excuse to spend the day lounging on the couch watching movies. It turns out that Derek's never seen Star Wars, so Stiles decides to force him to sit through the entire saga. They watch them in the order they were released instead of chronologically, because starting with The Phantom Menace might turn Derek off of the franchise completely.

It's nice. He loves that Derek is the big spoon when they cuddle because he can turn around and bury his face in Derek's chest when he wants. He likes breathing him in.

“What do you think happened to Theo?” Stiles asks.

“I don't know,” Derek answers solemnly. “Time's were rough back then.”

“Yeah.”

Derek runs his hand through Stiles' hair. “We'll figure it out.”

They're halfway through The Empire Strikes Back when there's a knock on the door. Derek gets up and walks toward it, baring his claws. He looks through the eyehole and then turns to Stiles. “It's Edgar.”

Stiles walks to the door. He gives Derek a reassuring look before unlocking it. “Let me talk to him.”

When he opens the door Edgar stares back at him with a sad, empty look on his face. It doesn't look like he got much sleep either. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Stiles says, smiling politely. “Come in.”

Edgar walks inside and his eyes go wide for a moment when he sees Derek. “Uh, I can come back...or not...”

Stiles chuckles. “It's cool man. What's up?”

Derek sits back down on the couch, giving them a chance to talk.

“Stiles,” Edgar's voice cracks, “I'm really sorry. I don't know what happened last night. I mean, I remember being there at the dance with you, and then I went to get a drink, and then...”

“You got a little grabby.”

Edgar sighs. “Yeah. Fuck, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean- I don't know what came over me. I'd never disrespect you like that.”

“Someone spiked the punch with this weird drug and some people wigged out. At least you didn't burn the place down or go crazy like the others,” Stiles says, trying to ease the poor guy's guilt.

“I ruined everything.”

Stiles puts his hand on Edgar's arm. “No, you didn't. I had a nice time dancing with you, dude.”

Edgar blushes at the touch and smiles. “Yeah. You've got some moves.”

“Edgar, listen, you should know-” Stiles starts.

“I know. You're with Derek now. You don't have to say it,” Edgar interrupts. “I just wanted to tell you I was sorry.”

Stiles stares at him, not knowing what to say.

Edgar continues, “When we were at the dance he couldn't keep his eyes off you...”

“I hope we can still be friends,” Stiles says, smiling and shrugging awkwardly, because he's definitely not used to being caught between two hot guys.

Edgar's eyes light up and it makes Stiles feel a little less guilty. “Wow, I'd love that.”

“Awesome.”

They stare at each other for a few moments before Edgar breaks the silence. “Well I better get back. See you in school...uh, what's left of it I guess.”

“See you.”

Stiles walks him out and then shuts the door. He turns around and leans on it, sighing.

“Is everything alright?” Derek asks.

“Kind of. I think I just broke someone's heart for the first time.”

He lays back down on the couch and Derek wraps his arms around him and they continue to watch the movie.

Stiles can't seem to concentrate on it, though. He thinks about Edgar, and about Theo, and about all the people he feels he's letting down. He thinks about how someone could have died in the fire and how he could have maybe done something to stop it if he'd stuck around instead of running off like a coward.

“You're awfully quiet,” Derek says.

“I'm just thinking.”

“About what?”

“About a lot of stuff. Like, do you remember what Theo said? He said he summoned us. He wished for us and then we were there. How the fuck is that even possible, Derek?”

“I don't know. There's all kinds of stuff out there, Stiles. It's not just wolves. My mom had a bestiary but it burned in the fire. There might have been something there about-”

Stiles bolts up. “That's it!”

Derek looks at him skeptically. “What?”

“Books. The library has all kinds of records from when it was an asylum in the basement! Maybe we can find something about Theo.” Stiles says. He grabs his shoes and his hands shake with anticipation as he ties his shoelaces.

They drive to the library and Stiles practically bolts inside with Derek closely behind.

They walk down the stairs that lead toward the basement until they reach a hallway with several doors. It's not a place people usually visit, so it's completely empty except for a janitor who smiles at Stiles as he walks past.

They reach a dusty old door at the end of the hall and Stiles opens it. “If there's any information it should be in here.”

When they walk inside they see a man sitting on a chair with his hands on a cane that sits in between his legs.

Stiles stops walking. “Oh, I didn't know there was anyone else in here. Hey, you're-”

“Deucalion,” the man says. “It seems like we keep running into each other, Mr. Stilinski.”

Derek puts his hand on Stiles' shoulder. “Something doesn't smell right.”

Deucalion smiles and shakes his head. “Clever boys.”

Stiles looks at him, perplexed. He turns to Derek who also seems clueless.

Deucalion stands up and walks toward a desk covered in stacks of paper and old record books. He picks up a file and holds it up. “I think this is what you're looking for.”

Derek walks in front of Stiles protectively. Stiles is reminded of Halloween night when young Derek did the same thing when Chris Argent confronted them.

Deucalion opens the file and starts to read it. “Theo Smith. Admitted to Beacon Hills Sanitarium on December 8th, 1922. The boy exhibits violent and erratic behavior, as well as unusual delusions concerning an imaginary being he refers to as “the monster man.” Diagnosis: Premature dementia. Madness.”

Deucalion snickers and throws the file back on the desk. “They forgot to mention the little bastard was a bloody Druid.”

Stiles shakes his head. “How did you-”

“Oh come on Stiles! You can figure it out!” Deucalion says, mockingly.

Derek bears his claws. “It's Duke, Stiles. It's him.”

Stiles feels his heart sink. He feels sick all of a sudden and his legs go weak. It turns out the villain was under his nose all along and he didn't even have the slightest clue.

_The blind man_. Of course.

“You know very well you can't hurt me, Derek. I mean, you can try, but it would probably be really bloody and end with your head a good distance away from your body,” Deucalion says.

“So why don't you just kill us, then? Why wait?” Derek asks.

“Because I need you. Well, technically I only need one of you but I want to use the other as enticement,” Deucalion answers, smiling.

“Let Stiles go and I'll do whatever you want,” Derek says.

Deucalion laughs and shakes his head. “Do you always make things about yourself Derek?”

It's the last thing Stiles hears before everything goes black.


	20. Chapter 20

When he wakes up he feels a tightness around his body. He looks down to see that he's tied to a chair with a thick rope. The room is dark, the only light coming from a horizontal window on the far end. They must be up high somewhere because Stiles can't see any buildings. He must have been asleep for hours because it's night out.

He hears Deucalion's voice in the darkness. “Wakey, wakey, sleeping beauty.”

The lights abruptly go on and the flash momentarily blinds him When his vision returns, he's shocked to see Derek several feet in front of him, also tied to a chair. He has electrical wires inserted into his neck that are attached to a large machine. He seems to be unconscious but breathing.

Stiles turns his head and sees four large wolves, Deucalion's alpha pack, standing guard over a large metal door. They all look like they're ready to strike at any moment, except for Kali, who is lying down and averting her eyes.

“Do you know what time it is, Stiles?” Deucalion asks.

“Let me guess,” Stiles turns to look at him, “this is the part where the supervillain tells everyone his plan.”

Deucalion laughs.

“What, are you going to torture me until Derek gives you want you want? Is that it?” Stiles asks. He knows he should be afraid, but he's not. He's angry.

Deucalion shakes his head. “Good guess, but no.”

“Then what do you want?”

Deucalion stands up and walks toward the window. “It's a bit of a long story but I wont bore you with all the details.”

Stiles rolls his eyes and snorts.

“Many, many years ago, I met a boy with incredible powers. He could draw people to him, anyone he wanted. He could project thoughts and emotions on to others. He could understand any language, solve any math problem,” Deucalion turns to look at Stiles. “He was gifted.”

“Theo,” Stiles says, understanding.

Deucalion nods and begins to pace around the room. He navigates it well despite his blindness. “The problem is he couldn't control it very well. So I took it upon myself to teach him.”

“He told us you took away his mother.”

“Some of my methods were...unorthodox,” Deucalion continues, “But necessary.”

Stiles looks at him skeptically.

Deucalion continues to pace around the room. “You see, the boy's powers could only be activated during moments of extreme emotion.”

“So you tortured him? You're a monster.”

Deucalion smiles, “Yes, I am a monster. But so is Derek, and your friend Isaac...”

Stiles shakes his head, “No, that's -”

“You see Stiles, that's the problem. Who decides who the monster is? I know that you know about the Lycaons and how they were imprisoned by the druids.”

“Because they were dangerous...”

“No, Stiles. Because they were different.”

“The druids wanted to find a cure.”

“There is no cure for what any of us are.”

Stiles looks down at the floor. “They killed people. They needed to be stopped. I don't see how freeing them will help anyone.”

“But you're going to find out soon enough.”

Stiles hears Derek shuffling in his chair and looks up to see him waking up.

“Derek!” Stiles yells.

As soon as Derek realizes where he is, he tries to break free but the machine he's attached to sends an electric shock through his body. He yells in agony.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you,” Deucalion says. “But now that we're all awake, why don't we get down to business?”

“I'll give you the key if you just let him go,” Derek says.

“Oh Derek, give it up! I already figured it out. You can't fool me anymore,” Deucalion replies.

Derek shakes his head. “No, please...”

Stiles looks back and forth between them, confused.

Deucalion pulls out his cell phone and dials a number. Someone picks up on the other end. “We're ready for you Mr. Argent,” he says.

The doors to the large room open and Chris Argent walks in carrying a black suitcase. He places it down on the table next to Derek and opens it.

“What the fuck...?” Stiles asks, as his heart starts to beat rapidly.

Chris pulls out a small, oval-shaped contraption that reminds Stiles of a Fabergé egg. Stiles can see it's a machine of some sort.

“Untie him,” Chris says and one of the wolves, Ennis, shifts to human form and walks toward Stiles to untie the rope that is binding Stiles to the chair.

“Don't do this Argent. You don't know what you're getting yourself into,” Derek says.

Chris gives Derek a menacing look, “I know exactly what I'm getting myself into.”

“Okay, can somebody please fill me in? Because I'm going out of my fucking mind...” Stiles asks impatiently.

Chris takes the egg-shaped machine and hands it to Stiles. Stiles grabs it apprehensively.

“This is the Beacon,” Chris says, “And you're going to activate it.”

Stiles looks up at him, shocked. “What? How can I-”

But as soon as he takes a closer look at the Beacon, he understands. It has intricate diagrams etched on it, familiar symbols, symbols that Stiles has been drawing since he was a kid. A language he understands. 

There's also small engravings of spiders scattered around it and a large engraving of an eel that wraps around the diameter of the egg.

“All of these things, they're like my...everything seems so familiar...” Stiles says, transfixed.

“It should look familiar,” Chris says, kneeling down in front of Stiles. “It was built for you.”

Stiles can't hold back the tears, “It's me. I'm the key.”

Deucalion smiles, “I knew I sensed something in you when I first met you. But when Peter told me that Derek had the key, I assumed it was a physical object, a literal key. I was so stupid! It's so obvious. You even look like him!”

“Like who?” Stiles asks, still dumbfounded.

“Theo,” Deucalion answers.

“That's how you wanted to use him. You wanted him to play into your sick game,” Stiles spits back.

“I want to build a new world Stiles, don't you see? I want a place where people like us aren't shunned or forced to hide. And to do that, we need fear. Do you understand? When they become fearful of us we can control them. We'll start here, in Beacon Hills,” Deucalion says.

“Is that why you want to free the Lycaons? You want an army?” Stiles says.

“Clever boy,” Deucalion says. “But that's only the beginning of the plan. Do you remember what happened at your dance?”

“The fire?” Stiles asks.

“We laced the water with a special compound. It was a test run, you see. When we put it in the water supply, the town will mostly destroy itself. The Lycaons will take care of the rest. Once the world knows what we're capable of, we can make demands.”

“That's insane. It's genocide,” Stiles says, shaking his head. 

“Sometimes you have to destroy in order to rebuild. But enough talk! It's time for you to do your job, boy,” Deucalion says, his voice deeper. Stiles can see his glowing red eyes through his sunglasses.

“Don't do it, Stiles,” Derek says.

Stiles looks at Derek. His eyes burn with tears and his face is red in anger. “You knew...you knew all along...All that time...When we were going back and forth between memories...It was me, wasn't it? I was doing it.”

Deucalion walks closer. “It's called a holographic memory and it's only one of your abilities, Stiles. Activate the Beacon and I will show you everything you're capable of.”

Derek's eyes glaze over. His ears flush red and he looks down at the ground. “I was trying to help you. Peter didn't tell me until after we left Beacon Hills...and when I came back I thought I could protect you.”

“How does Peter even know?” Stiles asks.

“My family and your family have a history. Your mom was...” Derek starts.

“Enough!” Deucalion yells.

Stiles shakes his head, more tears streaming down his face.

“He used you Stiles,” Chris says, gesturing toward Derek, “He knew from the moment you met what you were. That's why you can't trust him. I thought I loved Peter once, too. But it turns out that I was just fooling myself. I was good enough to fuck, but not good enough for the bite, not good enough to love,” he looks at Derek with complete disdain, “The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. And don't think you're getting away with that little stunt you pulled, taking Allison to the dance...”

“I knew it would piss you off,” Derek says.

Chris punches Derek in the face and blood pours out of Derek's mouth.

“Stop!” Stiles yells.

“You still care about him? After he lied to you?” Deucalion asks.

“Yes,” Stiles answers defiantly.

Stiles stands up with the Beacon in his hands. He looks down at it and becomes transfixed by the shapes and contours of the machine. He starts to hear noises in his head, ancient songs with melodies he's known since he was a child but could never put a name to, chanting and rattling bells and animal voices. His body surges with a powerful force, so unlike anything he's felt before. He feels like he's awake now.

He's going to stop Deucalion once and for all.

But first he needs help. He closes his eyes and wills himself back in time.

-

When he opens his eyes again, he's in a forest. He's panting hard, struggling to catch his breath. He feels exhausted and he's covered in sweat, like he's run a marathon.

He hears music. Stiles recognizes the song. It's Greensleeves, his mother used to hum it all the time. He looks around for the source and his eyes land on a young man, who looks to be in his late teens. His back is to Stiles but he can see that he's playing a wooden flute.

Stiles takes a step and the boy turns around, frightened. Stiles gasps when he sees the boy's face. He looks similar to Stiles, not identical, but with the same pale skin, soft features and light brown eyes.

They both stare at each other for a few seconds.

The boy smiles, “I knew you'd come back.”

“...Theo?” Stiles asks.

“It's me,” Theo says before drops his flute and runs to hug Stiles, “You're here, just like I dreamed.”

“You're...” Stiles starts.

“Seventeen,” Theo answers, “I guess you're a little late, but that's alright! You're here, and that's the important part.”

Stiles chuckles, “Yeah I'm sorta new at this whole time travel thing.”

Theo nods, smiling.

“You're not at the asylum anymore?” Stiles asks.

Theo shakes his head, “I ran away,” he reaches down to pick up his flute and a knapsack that was lying on the ground, “I've been on my own for a couple of years now. Working farming jobs here and there.”

“That sounds tough,” Stiles says softly.

“Yeah, but it's better than being locked up. Plus there's perks to doing backbreaking labor,” Theo flexes his well-defined bicep, “Check it out!”

Stiles laughs.

A strong wind brushes through the forest. It looks like the beginning of fall, the leaves just starting to change color. Stiles looks to his right and can just make out the edge of town.

Stiles grins. “Theo, how would you like to see the 21st century?”


End file.
